Venezuela earthquake toll tops 920 as families dig through rubble

Rescuers and families are racing to pull survivors from collapsed buildings after Venezuela's twin earthquakes. Restricted access to La Guaira and a shortage of crews have sharpened fears that the rescue window is closing.

In Short

• Authorities restricted entry to La Guaira after traffic severely hampered rescue operations
• Residents used hammers and power tools, citing too few government rescuers
• Officials said 243 people were rescued, but fatalities were expected to rise

Venezuela's earthquake crisis deepened on Friday, three days after twin quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck, as families and rescue teams raced against time to find survivors under collapsed homes and apartment blocks. The death toll rose to at least 920, more than 51,000 people were reported missing, and authorities said over 3,300 people had been injured.

As search operations continued, officials announced that access to La Guaira, the epicentre of the destruction, would be restricted because chaos and traffic were disrupting rescue work. Authorities said anyone wanting to enter would need official permits, though they gave few details on who would be allowed in.

Many residents said they had taken the search for missing relatives into their own hands because of a shortage of government rescuers in the worst-hit areas. Aid agencies say the first 48 to 72 hours are crucial for pulling people out alive, although that window can be longer if those trapped have food and water. Jorge Rodrguez, president of the National Assembly, said, "Each person saved is a miracle. We are not going to hide absolutely anything about the magnitude of this tragedy."

In La Guaira state, north of Caracas, Nazareth Jimenez broke down as neighbours used hammers and power tools to cut through concrete slabs in the ruins of a building. She was waiting for news of her siblings, nephews, nieces and friends. "My God, how are we going to get them out of there?" Jimenez said. She added, "We're making a call for help to the government and countries across the world. There are still people alive in there."

Government forces distributed food and water to survivors in La Guaira, and acting President Delcy Rodrguez said the government was mounting a full response during these "critical hours for rescuing people alive". She welcomed international rescue teams and humanitarian aid, and said La Guaira had been militarised and more help was on the way, even as residents said it was only a small part of what was needed. The disaster is a major test for Rodrguez, who took office in January after the United States captured and removed then president Nicols Maduro. Venezuela has also been dealing with economic disorder for more than a decade, and many people reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodrguez represents.

Authorities said 243 people had been rescued by midday Friday. They also said the number of dead was expected to rise. Reports of missing people running into the tens of thousands were being logged on independent digital databases, though officials said some of those cases could involve duplicate reports or people who had lost contact because cellphone signals were down.

The International Organization for Migration said up to 6.76 million people could be affected, including about 2 million in Caracas alone. Experts said the scale of the destruction was made worse by the two shallow quakes striking in quick succession. Loyce Pace, the International Red Cross' regional director for the Americas, said "people are still terrified to reenter what were their homes", and many continued to sleep on the streets.

Omar Reyes said around 20 members of his family had died. "I've been left alone in this life," he said as he walked through rubble where two of his children were buried. In Maiquetia, people queued outside shops and pharmacies that served them one by one behind closed doors. At one point, a woman in the crowd threw herself to the ground to shield a packet of diapers. Search efforts were also hindered by traffic and large numbers of motorcyclists. Mexican soldiers and volunteers repeatedly called for silence so they could listen for signs of life under the debris, but horns and revving engines continued. In Catia La Mar, next to the country's main airport, some people carried away basic goods such as toilet paper and food from shops, while others crowded around a civilian pickup truck distributing bread and water until a soldier stepped in. A pharmacy car park was turned into a makeshift shelter with tarpaulins, hammocks and tents.

Nearby, 28-year-old Yuleidy Cadenas stood opposite a collapsed public housing building, hoping her son, mother and brother would be found alive. She said she ran barefoot from another building as it came down on Wednesday and then found that her mother's 12-storey apartment tower had pancaked. "I got on top of the rubble and told them to yell back, and nobody did, not my brother, nor my son or my mother," Cadenas said.

Venezuelan authorities said 861 volunteers from Mexico, the US, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia and other countries were already in the country, with more expected. Rodrguez also said she had spoken to US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, and that they had reaffirmed their commitment to send rescue teams and equipment. With the toll still rising and thousands unaccounted for, rescue efforts remained focused on the narrow window to find more survivors alive.

With PTI Inputs

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