Devastating Earthquakes Strike Northern Venezuela, Death Toll Rises Amid Rescue Efforts

Destroyed buildings reduced to towering piles of rubble dominate the landscape as rescue efforts continue in Venezuela

Collapsed buildings. Mountains of rubble. Rescue teams racing against time. Families digging through debris with their bare hands, hoping to find loved ones alive. Visuals emerging from Venezuela capture the scale of devastation after two powerful earthquakes struck the country's north on Wednesday. 920 people have been killed, thousands injured and more than 50,000 reported missing, as humanitarian aid arrives and search-and-rescue operations continue. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck northern Venezuela within less than a minute of each other on Wednesday, with rescue efforts continuing across the worst-hit areas, including La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Authorities said the toll is expected to rise as teams continue searching for survivors beneath the rubble.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Friday that the death toll had increased from 589 to 920. He also announced a military deployment to La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit states.

As families searched for loved ones, some using their hands to dig through debris, Rodriguez said, “Each person saved is a miracle.” The humanitarian situation continues to worsen. United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher told AFP, “We've got over 50,000 people missing, over 500 people dead, so a massive job to go through the rubble.”

The United States said it had deployed two warships, transport aircraft and helicopters while mobilising $150 million in humanitarian assistance. Washington has also suspended economic sanctions on Venezuela that could have hindered rescue operations.

The United Nations also highlighted the impact on children. In a post on X, it said, “An estimated 3.9 million children live in areas affected by the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday. UNICEF is on the ground, supporting national efforts to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children and their families.”

In a gesture of solidarity with Venezuela, India also launched Operation Amistad, a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission. Two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft departed on Friday carrying humanitarian relief supplies and a 41-member rescue team to support ongoing search-and-rescue and relief operations.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that a fresh magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck off Venezuela's northern coast on Friday.