Venezuela earthquake toll rises to 589 dead and thousands missing under the rubble

Caracas —
The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to 589, while at least 2,980 people have been injured, amid ongoing search and rescue operations for survivors trapped under the rubble.

Rescue teams worked throughout the night in affected areas within the capital Caracas and its surroundings, attempting to reach hundreds of people trapped under the debris, while thousands more remain missing.

Authorities said the toll is expected to rise as the scope of field surveys expands, especially in areas that witnessed the collapse of residential buildings and public facilities after the two consecutive tremors, which are among the strongest in modern Latin American history.

A platform established to track the missing indicates that tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for, at a time when families face great difficulties communicating with their relatives due to disrupted communications and damaged infrastructure.

Rescue efforts are focused on collapsed buildings in the most affected areas around Caracas, where emergency teams are working with the support of volunteers and local residents under difficult conditions and a shortage of heavy equipment.

Concerns continue about aftershocks that could increase the severity of the situation, especially in cracked buildings or areas that suffered partial collapses.

Authorities declared a state of wide alert, as rescue teams and international aid began arriving to support local efforts, with increasing need for specialized search equipment, medical teams, and urgent shelters for survivors who lost their homes.

Venezuela is facing one of the worst natural disasters in its modern history, amid a race against time to rescue those trapped before the chances of finding survivors under the rubble diminish.