Rescue teams in Venezuela continued searching for survivors four days after twin powerful earthquakes devastated the northern state of La Guaira, as the reported death toll climbed above 1,400 in one official update and later government figures put it above 2,200. Thousands more were reported missing or unaccounted for, and displaced families filled shelters, schools and improvised camps. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said dozens of people had been rescued and authorities were continuing relief operations, while international teams from multiple countries joined Venezuelan responders in a race to find survivors beneath collapsed apartment blocks, housing complexes and other buildings.
The disaster has drawn a large foreign response, with more than 2,000 rescue workers arriving from around the world and U.S. personnel helping reopen the airport serving Caracas. A U.S. rescue team from Virginia pulled a man and his son from rubble in La Guaira, and another rescue later drew national attention when a security guard was found alive after nearly eight days trapped beneath debris in Catia La Mar. Pope Leo also offered prayers for the dead and support for rescuers. Aid officials said the first 48 to 72 hours after a disaster are generally the most critical for finding people alive, though survival can extend longer if victims have access to food and water.
Even as rescue operations expanded, frustration deepened in some of the hardest-hit communities. Residents in La Guaira said the first searches were led largely by relatives, neighbors and volunteers using bare hands, motorcycles helmets and improvised tools, with little immediate heavy machinery or specialized equipment. Some people accused authorities of reacting too slowly and said government efforts were overshadowed by civilian-led rescues. In Caraballeda, anger flared when civilians blocked an excavator from leaving a collapse site after workers allegedly took photographs and departed without helping. Critics and humanitarian groups also said some shelters lacked privacy, child-safe spaces and hygiene facilities, though at least one school shelter in La Guaira was being run by young volunteers who created a digital registration system for more than 350 residents and organized food, sleeping space, medical care and basic services.
Rodríguez has rejected accusations that the government failed to act quickly, saying the state mobilized immediately and arguing that officials have made every possible effort alongside private and international partners. She also defended official casualty figures against suggestions that the true toll may be significantly higher. The earthquakes have become a major test for Rodríguez's interim administration, which is still seeking legitimacy after taking power following Nicolás Maduro's removal in January. Broader concerns about Venezuela's long-running economic crisis and the condition of social housing have also resurfaced, with some experts and residents saying substandard construction may have worsened the scale of destruction in quake-hit neighborhoods.