The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to at least 1,450, as rescue workers continue searching through mountains of rubble for survivors despite fading hopes of finding more people alive. The powerful back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit northern Venezuela on June 24, causing widespread destruction across the country.
The coastal state of La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas, has emerged as the worst-affected area, with hundreds of buildings reduced to rubble and entire neighbourhoods devastated. Authorities say more than 3,150 people have been injured, while tens of thousands remain missing or unaccounted for. Nearly 12,700 people have also been displaced from their homes.
In a rare moment of hope, international rescue teams from the United States and France managed to pull a father and his teenage son alive from the debris after they had been trapped for four days. Earlier, rescuers also saved a mother and her nine-month-old baby from a collapsed building, boosting morale among exhausted emergency workers.
More than 2,600 rescue personnel, along with search dogs and heavy equipment, have been deployed from several countries to assist in the operation. However, rescue efforts have been hampered by blocked roads, damaged infrastructure and repeated aftershocks, which continue to pose risks to both survivors and emergency crews.
The Venezuelan government has declared disaster zones in the worst-hit regions and suspended classes in affected areas. Electricity has gradually been restored in parts of La Guaira, while authorities have launched inspections to assess the structural safety of damaged buildings.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the disaster could ultimately become one of Latin America's deadliest earthquakes in recent history. The UN estimates that the damage could cost between $4.7 billion and $8.7 billion, dealing a severe blow to Venezuela's already struggling economy.
As the critical rescue window closes, families continue to gather near collapsed buildings, hoping for miracles amid the destruction. Emergency teams have vowed to keep searching for survivors, even as the scale of the tragedy becomes increasingly clear.
