Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Climbs to 235 as Desperate Families Search Rubble for Survivors

Hope is fading across Venezuela as desperate families continue searching through collapsed buildings for loved ones after two powerful earthquakes killed at least 235 people and left thousands injured.

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck northern Venezuela less than a minute apart on Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction across several cities. Buildings cracked, collapsed and tilted dangerously, while powerful aftershocks continued to shake the country on Thursday.

Health Minister Carlos Alvarado confirmed that the death toll has risen to at least 235, with about 4,300 people injured. Rescue operations remain underway, but survivors trapped beneath rubble are becoming increasingly difficult to reach as emergency teams battle limited equipment and damaged infrastructure.

In the hard-hit state of La Guaira, heartbreaking scenes unfolded as residents pleaded for help to rescue people trapped beneath collapsed buildings. One young girl reportedly cried out for hours before she died while neighbours waited desperately for emergency responders to arrive.

Elsewhere in the state, residents could hear three people calling for help beneath the rubble of another collapsed structure. “They’re still alive… There’s nothing more we can do. We don’t have any tools,” one resident, Antonio Bermudez, told AFP.

Hospitals have been overwhelmed by casualties. A doctor at Domingo Luciani Hospital said children were arriving in ambulances without their parents after being pulled from collapsed buildings, with some identified only by emergency tags attached to their arms.

Authorities have declared La Guaira a disaster zone, with interim president Delcy Rodríguez visiting affected communities on Thursday. Meanwhile, reports of looting emerged as residents raided a supermarket amid growing shortages and uncertainty.

International assistance is rapidly gathering. Rescue teams from Switzerland, Spain, France, Portugal and Mexico are heading to Venezuela, while the United States announced the deployment of two warships, transport aircraft, helicopters and $150 million in emergency aid. China, India, Brazil and Iran have also pledged support, while Pope Leo XIV donated an initial €100,000 for relief efforts. António Guterres said he was deeply saddened by the disaster, as the United Nations pledged to assist recovery efforts.

The disaster has also disrupted transport, with Venezuela’s main international airport in La Guaira remaining closed after sustaining significant structural damage. Authorities have confirmed that foreign nationals, including citizens of Brazil, China, Italy and Portugal, were among those killed.

Wednesday’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake is the strongest to strike Venezuela in 126 years. Tremors were also felt across neighbouring Colombia and parts of northern Brazil, while thousands of frightened residents in Caracas spent the night sleeping outdoors, fearing more aftershocks.