More than 1,400 people have been confirmed dead as rescuers in Venezuela race against time to search for survivors after two powerful earthquakes struck the country this week.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said Saturday afternoon that the death toll had risen to 1,430.
Another 3,238 people were injured, he said, while more than 3,142 families were left homeless by the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck Wednesday just 39 seconds apart. The country has now recorded 430 aftershocks, a factor that could complicate rescue operations.
Rodríguez said that many people are left too frightened to return home, even after inspections declared some buildings safe.
Many more people are believed to be missing. Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela, a website that allows Venezuelans to self-report missing loved ones, had received reports of about 69,000 missing people at the time of writing. It said more than 13,700 had been located.
Because the website relies on people actively reporting both missing persons and those later found, the true number remains uncertain.
Time is critical. The first 48 to 72 hours after an earthquake are generally considered to be the vital window for rescuing people alive, though survival is possible for longer periods if those trapped have access to air, water, and food.
According to Rodríguez, more than 30,000 specialized Venezuelan personnel have been deployed to disaster zones, including rescue workers, medical and paramedical staff, as well as military personnel and police officers sent to help maintain order. They are working alongside more than 2,000 rescuers from 21 countries.
More than 14,000 police and military members are patrolling La Guaira, the northern coastal state hardest hit by the earthquakes, to secure relief operations, President Delcy Rodríguez said early Saturday on state television.
La Guaira is connected to the capital, Caracas, by a highway bridge known as the Caracas–La Guaira Viaduct. Military and police personnel have restricted access to the state to prioritize rescue workers and clear roads for heavy machinery, debris-removal trucks, and specialist teams.
Rumors have circulated that the bridge itself was damaged by the earthquakes and may be unsafe. Venezuelan authorities dismissed those claims, saying the highway system remains in “perfect condition” and is “100 percent operational.” Officials said the structure is being technically evaluated every 12 hours.
Addressing photos and videos circulating on social media that purportedly suggest otherwise, Jorge Rodríguez said the damage shown affected only a railing and did not compromise road safety.
“Please, do not pay attention to those rumors, do not pay attention to those false claims,” he said.
