Officials in Venezuela report the death toll from last week's powerful twin earthquakes has climbed to 1,430. Thousands more are injured. The twin quakes, which struck on Wednesday, have unleashed hundreds of aftershocks, creating unstable conditions for rescue crews.
More than 1,600 foreign rescue workers have now arrived in the country to assist local teams. The search is concentrated in coastal areas like La Guaira, where residents report the disaster response has been uneven, with some forced to dig by hand for missing relatives.
Access to the hardest-hit regions remains restricted to prioritize emergency vehicles. Power restoration is underway across the region, though the national grid, weakened by years of crisis, remains fragile.
While the government states hundreds are missing, an opposition-promoted website lists over 55,000 people as unaccounted for. The US Geological Survey had warned the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes could cause more than 10,000 deaths. The United States is preparing a major new aid package in addition to the $150 million already committed.