- International rescue teams continue desperate search survivors of the deadliest twin earthquake disaster in decades, over 6.8 million people are affected by this natural calamity
- Critical 72-hour rescue window closes
- More than 1,600 foreign rescuers are helping search for quake survivors
- At least 1,450 people have been killed and thousands more injured, according to top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez
- More than 51,000 people are reported missing
Rescue teams from around the world are racing against time to find survivors beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings in Venezuela as the critical 72-hour rescue window following the country’s devastating twin earthquakes has passed.
The powerful magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, which struck less than a minute apart on June 25, have claimed at least 1,450 lives, injured thousands, and left more than 51,000 people missing, according to Venezuelan authorities. The United Nations estimates that around 6.8 million people have been affected by the disaster.
Despite rapidly diminishing chances of finding survivors, rescue crews continue intensive search operations across the worst-hit areas, supported by more than 1,600 international emergency responders from around the world.
A rare moment of hope emerged on Sunday when a father and his son were pulled alive from the ruins of a collapsed building in La Guaira after spending four days trapped beneath the debris.
With tens of thousands still unaccounted for, the scale of Venezuela’s earthquake tragedy continues to unfold, making it one of the country’s worst natural disasters in recent history,dw.com reports.
The complex 12-hour rescue operation, carried out jointly by French and American emergency teams using specialized search equipment, highlighted the determination of rescuers despite increasingly difficult conditions.
Emergency officials said at least 33 people have been rescued alive since the weekend, although experts warn that survival rates decline sharply once the first 72 hours after a major earthquake have elapsed. Rescue efforts are gradually shifting from locating survivors to recovering victims as hopes fade.
The twin earthquakes caused widespread destruction, with at least 189 buildings collapsing completely in the hardest-hit coastal communities, particularly in La Guaira State, where entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble.
International assistance has continued to pour into the country. More than 25 nations have joined the humanitarian response, deploying thousands of rescue workers, search dogs, engineers and medical personnel to assist local authorities.
The European Union has announced €5 million in emergency assistance and is using its Copernicus satellite system to help map damaged areas and guide relief operations.
Pope Leo XIV also expressed his solidarity with the Venezuelan people, offering prayers for those who lost their lives and words of encouragement to rescue teams working tirelessly in the disaster zone.
Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious as aftershocks continue, while humanitarian agencies warn that the coming days will shift the focus toward providing shelter, food, medical care and psychological support for hundreds of thousands of displaced survivors.
