33 Rescued as Death Toll Surpasses 1,400 in Venezuela’s Twin Earthquakes
Thirty-three individuals have been rescued following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela this past weekend, as reported by the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez. Among those rescued are several children, but tens of thousands remain unaccounted for, with the urgency to locate additional survivors intensifying.
The death toll from the earthquakes, which occurred on Wednesday, has exceeded 1,400 as of Saturday. Foreign rescue teams have mobilized to La Guaira, the state hardest hit by the quakes, to assist in recovery efforts.
Rescue Efforts and Challenges
In the days following the earthquakes, families and volunteers worked tirelessly to pull both survivors and bodies from the rubble. They faced significant challenges, including a lack of heavy equipment and limited official support. Over 1,600 foreign rescue workers have since arrived to aid in the efforts, but the situation remains precarious due to ongoing aftershocks, which have exacerbated damage and heightened anxiety among residents.
The Venezuelan government, led by Rodriguez since her predecessor was removed by the U.S. in a January raid, initially expressed gratitude to civilian volunteers delivering aid to La Guaira. However, access to the main roads has been heavily restricted, with officials citing the need for efficient movement of emergency vehicles. Only accredited individuals are now permitted on these routes.
While the government has reported hundreds missing or trapped, an opposition-promoted website indicates that nearly 50,000 people are unaccounted for. This figure represents a slight decrease from Saturday’s count of 55,000.
Limited Time for Finding Survivors
The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that the death toll could exceed 10,000, making these earthquakes among the deadliest in Latin America in the last century. The window for rescuing individuals trapped in the debris is rapidly closing.
Sebastian Eugster, the leader of a Swiss rescue team, emphasized that there exists a critical 72-hour window in which the likelihood of finding survivors diminishes significantly. His team has successfully located multiple individuals alive in the rubble, thanks to their search dogs, but has faced challenges in extricating them in time.
As of Saturday evening, 72 hours had passed since the earthquakes struck. The Swiss team plans to collaborate with other rescue teams and local authorities to determine when operations will conclude, although they will remain available for additional aid efforts.
Notable Rescues
The U.S. State Department highlighted the successful rescue of an infant by American rescue crews, sharing footage of the operation. A Colombian team also rescued an 11-year-old boy named Moises, who had been trapped approximately 3 meters (10 feet) deep in rubble. He was transported on a stretcher with a broken arm, his eyes shielded from the harsh light. Tragically, his mother and sister did not survive.
Mexican rescuers in Caraballeda also saved another 11-year-old boy, as reported by Rodriguez on social media. She remarked that each life saved represents hope for Venezuela during this crisis.
The government has reported over 3,000 injuries and a similar number of individuals displaced into shelters. In Caraballeda, U.S. rescuers have been working alongside civilian volunteers, some of whom are searching for their own missing family members.
As rescue operations progressed, teams marked the rubble with the names of the buildings that once stood there. By Saturday evening, they had begun to code the debris to indicate areas where they believed no survivors remained.
International Response and Implications
Pope Leo expressed his solidarity with the Venezuelan people during a prayer service in Rome, acknowledging the impact of the earthquakes and thanking rescue workers for their efforts.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that the EU has mobilized €5 million (approximately $5.9 million) in emergency assistance. The EU’s Copernicus satellite system is also being utilized to map the damage and direct aid to the most affected areas.
A senior U.S. official indicated that a funding package worth hundreds of millions of dollars is anticipated to be announced shortly, in addition to the $150 million previously committed by the Trump administration.
The disaster may have political ramifications for Rodriguez, who has positioned herself as a reformist leader despite her previous role as vice president under Nicolas Maduro.
Power is gradually being restored across the region. Venezuela’s power grid has suffered from years of underinvestment and economic sanctions, leading to frequent blackouts lasting several hours in various areas.
Source: www.arnnewscentre.ae
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Published on 2026-06-28 19:38:00 • By the Editorial Desk
