'What are they waiting for?': Frustration grows at govt reponse as Venezuela quake death toll rises

Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 1,430 as Rescue Efforts Continue in La Guaira State

Rescue operations continued on Saturday in Venezuela’s La Guaira state three days after two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck the country. The death toll stood at 1,430, according to reports compiled by local authorities and rescue teams. Families reported at least 68,900 people missing. Searchers used shovels, heavy machinery, ropes, and manual labor to clear rubble in coastal communities including Caraballeda.

Initial official figures released on June 25 listed 188 deaths. Subsequent updates showed the toll rising as additional sites were assessed. The International Organization for Migration estimated that nearly 6.8 million people could be affected, including approximately 2 million in the Caracas metropolitan area. Aftershocks continued, including one of magnitude 4.8 recorded on Saturday.

Venezuelan officials stated that 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue personnel had arrived by Saturday. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on state television that more than 14,000 members of the military and police were deployed in the affected zone, where access was restricted and entry required special permits. International teams from Mexico, the United States, Brazil, El Salvador, and France participated in operations alongside local responders.

In Caraballeda, residents and rescuers worked on collapsed structures. Mileidy Romero described locating bodies, including those of infants, and stated that some individuals reported alive the previous evening had not been reached. Other witnesses, including Yeison Marcano, said assistance from police and National Guard units had been limited and that some personnel had been observed taking photographs without further engagement. Reports also noted instances in which civilians blocked equipment operators from departing sites after photographs were taken.

Rescue teams recovered an older man from a public housing building. The individual was disoriented and asked for water before being transported for medical care. In a separate incident, an 18-day-old infant and the infant’s mother were extracted after approximately 12 hours of work, according to Telemundo. A 69-year-old woman rescued by Salvadoran teams requested a soft drink after being freed, Salvadoran authorities reported. Video footage showed a Venezuelan rescuer speaking with an elderly woman still trapped, assuring her that movement would not cause further collapse.

Teams from Mexico inserted equipment and called for responses from potential survivors inside pancaked concrete. Helicopters circled overhead during operations. Simón Bolívar International Airport sustained damage; one runway remained in use while U.S. personnel conducted repairs. A U.S. Navy transport ship was positioned offshore to receive medical evacuations, according to State Department official Jeremy Lewin. Lewin described the effort to locate survivors as time-sensitive.

Smaller aftershocks continued to affect Caracas and surrounding areas. Residents in several locations wore masks amid accumulating dust and odors from decomposition. Bodies were transported from a hospital parking area in white trucks for identification. Some searchers wore motorcycle helmets in place of standard protective gear.

The earthquakes occurred in quick succession at shallow depth, a factor experts said contributed to the extent of structural damage. Venezuela had experienced economic difficulties over the preceding decade. Rodríguez assumed the acting presidency in January following the U.S. detention of former president Nicolás Maduro.

Search operations remained active across multiple sites as additional international personnel arrived.