Aftershock Strikes Caracas as Venezuela’s Death Toll Nears 1,500 in Urgent Rescue Operations
Caracas: A 4.6-magnitude aftershock struck north of Caracas early Monday, with a depth of 10 km (6 miles), as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. No immediate damage was reported, according to Jorge Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly. Residents experienced the tremor while rescue teams continued their relentless efforts on the fourth day following last week’s devastating earthquakes.
Rescue operations are primarily focused on La Guaira, the state most severely impacted by the twin earthquakes that occurred on Wednesday, resulting in nearly 1,500 confirmed fatalities.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts Amidst Crisis
The death toll from the twin earthquakes has reached approximately 1,500, with La Guaira being the hardest-hit region in a country already facing a profound political and economic crisis. The coastal state, situated about 40 km (25 miles) north of Caracas, has seen numerous buildings collapse into piles of debris.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez emphasized that rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. She stated that operations will not be suspended as long as survivors are being found. A presidential commission has been established to assess the habitability of affected buildings. Rodriguez announced that school classes would be suspended for another week, while electricity supply in La Guaira has been restored to 75%.
The government has acknowledged the contributions of civilian volunteers delivering aid to La Guaira but has since restricted road access, citing traffic interference with emergency vehicles.
Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the National Assembly, reported a rise in the death toll by 20 on Sunday, bringing it to 1,450. He also noted that 3,150 individuals are injured, 12,721 have been displaced, and 774 buildings have collapsed. He remarked on the critical hours remaining for rescue operations and the need to establish camps for those who have lost their homes.
Challenges in Rescue Operations
Families and volunteers have been tirelessly working to extract survivors and recover bodies from the rubble. The arrival of over 2,600 foreign rescue workers has been crucial, although limited heavy equipment and a diminished official presence have hampered efforts. Hundreds of aftershocks have further complicated the situation, leaving residents in a state of anxiety.
As of Saturday evening, at least 33 individuals, including several children, were rescued, but tens of thousands remain unaccounted for. A father and son were successfully pulled from the rubble on Sunday, highlighting the urgency of ongoing rescue efforts.
Despite the government’s reports of hundreds missing or trapped, an opposition-backed website indicated that just under 50,000 people were unaccounted for, a slight decrease from 55,000 the previous day.
Time Constraints for Survival
The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that the death toll could exceed 10,000 from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, potentially ranking among the deadliest in Latin America in the last century. Sebastian Eugster, leader of the Swiss rescue team, stated that there is a critical window of approximately 72 hours post-earthquake during which the chances of saving lives diminish significantly.
The Swiss team, consisting of 80 members, has located several individuals alive beneath the rubble using search dogs, although they were unable to rescue them in time as the 72-hour mark approached.
Remarkable Rescues Amidst Tragedy
The U.S. State Department highlighted the rescue of an infant by American teams, sharing a video of the operation. A Colombian rescue team successfully extracted an 11-year-old boy named Moises, who had been trapped about 3 meters (10 feet) deep. He was transported on a stretcher with a broken arm, having lost his mother and sister in the disaster. Mexican rescuers also reported rescuing another 11-year-old boy from a collapsed building in Caraballeda.
Pope Leo expressed his solidarity with the Venezuelan people affected by the earthquakes during a prayer in Rome, thanking the rescue workers for their efforts.
A senior U.S. official indicated that a funding package worth hundreds of millions of dollars is expected to be announced soon, in addition to the $150 million already pledged by the U.S. government. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, announced her intention to return to Venezuela after receiving her award abroad, although U.S. officials cautioned that the timing is sensitive due to the ongoing disaster response.
Venezuela’s largest refinery, the Amuay facility, which has a capacity of 645,000 barrels per day, ceased operations on Sunday following a significant power outage in Falcon state.
Source: www.emirates247.com
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Published on 2026-06-29 17:34:00 • By the Editorial Desk
