Global Rescue Effort Intensifies as Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Climbs Above 1,700

International rescue teams continued searching for survivors in Venezuela on Tuesday as hopes faded of finding more people alive beneath the rubble left by the country’s deadliest earthquakes in more than a century.

The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, have claimed more than 1,700 lives and injured around 5,000 people, according to the latest official figures. Authorities have not released an official count of those still missing, although the United Nations estimates that about 50,000 people remain unaccounted for.

Preliminary satellite data released by NASA suggests that nearly 58,900 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the powerful quakes, which devastated entire communities, particularly in La Guaira state.

As rescue efforts entered their sixth day, the operation increasingly shifted toward recovering victims. The United Nations estimates that approximately 1.2 million tonnes of debris now cover affected areas in La Guaira, making search operations more difficult.

Despite the passing of the widely recognized 72-hour window during which trapped victims are most likely to survive, rescuers managed to pull a 21-year-old man alive from the rubble in the coastal town of Tanaguarena on Monday, offering a rare moment of hope for exhausted emergency teams.

Around 27 countries have deployed nearly 40 search-and-rescue units to Venezuela. According to the United Nations, the international response includes more than 2,000 rescue personnel, military members and specialists, supported by over 160 trained search dogs.

The United States has also assisted with relief operations, repairing and reopening the Port of La Guaira to allow humanitarian supplies to reach affected communities. American personnel are also helping restore operations at Simon Bolivar International Airport, which suffered significant damage during the disaster.

The scale of the tragedy has overwhelmed morgues and cemeteries. At Caracas’ main public cemetery, crematoriums have been operating continuously while dozens of funerals are held each day. Families continue searching for missing relatives, with many waiting outside temporary morgues in hopes of identifying loved ones.

Residents in several disaster-hit communities have criticized the pace of government assistance, saying aid has been slow to reach those most in need. Authorities have placed La Guaira under military control and introduced permit requirements for entry into the worst-affected areas.

The United Nations estimates that nearly seven million people could be affected by the disaster, while economic losses are expected to reach about $6.7 billion, equivalent to roughly 6% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said she was prepared to return to Venezuela to support affected communities but alleged that authorities had prevented her from entering the country by restricting airspace. The interim government has not responded publicly to the claim, while relief efforts remain focused on locating survivors and assisting thousands left homeless by the disaster.