CARACAS: International rescue teams are racing against the clock in Venezuela. Only 33 people have been saved from the rubble following twin earthquakes last week. The 72-hour window for finding survivors is closing.
The official death toll has risen above 1,400. However, an opposition website lists nearly 50,000 people as unaccounted for in the hard-hit state of La Guaira.
The US Geological Survey warns the final count could exceed 10,000, which would rank these quakes among Latin America's deadliest in a century.
Success stories include the rescue of an infant by US crews and two 11-year-old boys by teams from Colombia and Mexico. Many victims, however, could not be reached in time.
More than 1,600 foreign rescue workers have joined the effort. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez thanked the international aid but has restricted civilian access to disaster zones, citing traffic congestion.
The United States is preparing a major aid package, while the European Union has mobilized €5 million in emergency funds. The disaster poses a political test for Rodriguez's government.