Venezuela earthquake death toll surges past 1,400 as tensions boil over slow rescue response
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Venezuela earthquake death toll reaches 920; US teams join rescue race
Three days after the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the death toll has climbed to at least 920, with more than 3,300 injured and tens of thousands still missing. Rescue operations have continued since the 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck the northern shore of the country on Wednesday, with authorities saying 243 people have been saved so far.
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela – A devastating humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Venezuela as the death toll from a quick succession of shallow 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes has climbed sharply to 1,430.
What we know:
Venezuela’s government has confirmed that families have reported at least 68,900 people missing, heavily concentrated in the coastal state of La Guaira and the capital city of Caracas.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 6 million people could be affected by the destruction.
Amid the wreckage, foreign aid has begun trickling into the badly damaged Simón Bolívar International Airport.
Jeremy Lewin, a senior U.S. State Department official, confirmed that one runway is currently operational.
SUGGESTED COVERAGE: LA County fire rescue heading to Venezuela
LA County's fire rescue team is heading to Venezuela to help with earthquake relief.
The U.S. military is coordinating incoming flights for mobile hospitals and rescue workers, while a U.S. Navy transport ship has docked off the coast to receive survivors requiring urgent medical attention.
What they're saying:
Frustration across the country has turned to rage, with citizens claiming that soldiers, firefighters, and police are entirely underprepared for the scale of the disaster.
Residents accused government personnel of prioritizing political optics over human lives.
"They came to eat arepas and take pictures to make it look like they were working," said local resident Yeison Marcano. "They didn’t even get their uniforms dirty like we have. We’ve been here for three days."
In the seaside town of Caraballeada, residents reported discovering a pile of bodies, including newborn babies, that state forces failed to retrieve.
"At 8 p.m. (yesterday) there were people alive down there, and they haven’t bothered to rescue them," said Mileidy Romero. "What are they waiting for?"
What we don't know:
The true scale of casualties remains unknown, as tens of thousands of individuals are still unaccounted for beneath the rubble.
It is also unclear how effectively the government can distribute incoming international aid, given that the military has blocked access to the hardest-hit zones and is requiring special entry permits.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two 7-magnitude earthquakes hit Venezuela
Back-to-back powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela, causing homes and buildings to collapse in Caracas.
What's next:
The unfolding disaster poses a monumental challenge for Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who took office in January following the U.S. capture and removal of former President Nicolás Maduro.
Facing a decade of economic disarray and widespread domestic rejection of her political movement's legitimacy, Rodríguez's administration must now navigate an escalating domestic backlash while managing a massive international relief operation.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.
The Source: This report is compiled from on-the-scene civilian testimonies in Caraballeada and the wider La Guaira state, official casualty figures and missing persons data released by the Venezuelan government, and a press briefing by senior U.S. State Department official Jeremy Lewin regarding international relief logistics as reported by The Associated Press.