Residents across northern Venezuela have taken the search for missing loved ones into their own hands following a pair of devastating earthquakes that struck late Wednesday. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes have killed at least 589 people and left thousands more injured, according to the latest official figures.
In the hardest-hit state of La Guaira, north of the capital, Caracas, families are using power tools and their bare hands to cut through concrete slabs in hopes of finding survivors trapped beneath collapsed apartment buildings, reports AP.
Nazareth Jimenez, a local resident, issued an urgent plea for international assistance and heavy machinery, noting that many of her relatives and friends remain missing in the debris. Similarly, Franklin Fuentes was seen searching the ruins of his former home on Friday, two days after the initial disaster.
The International Organisation for Migration estimates that as many as 6.76 million people could be affected across the country, with approximately two million impacted in Caracas alone.
In the capital, hundreds of people spent the night in parks and open spaces, too terrified to return to damaged structures. Streets have been left cracked open, and many buildings have been reduced to skeletons with furniture hanging from exposed windows.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who declared a state of emergency late Wednesday, sought to project a robust government response. She announced the creation of a $200 million reconstruction fund for hospitals and homes and stated that La Guaira has been militarised to facilitate the distribution of food and water.
However, many residents, such as mother-of-three Dayana Delgado, questioned the whereabouts of the heavy machinery promised by the state as they continued to dig through the ruins themselves.
The natural disaster presents a significant challenge for the Rodríguez administration, which took office in January following the capture and removal of Nicolás Maduro.
In a rare move, social media restrictions on the platform X (formerly Twitter) were reportedly lifted following calls from United Nations officials, allowing citizens to access potentially life-saving information.
International aid has begun to arrive, with approximately 1,000 emergency responders from 25 search-and-rescue teams deploying globally.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the United States is deploying a fast and effective response, while teams from Spain, Germany, Chile, and Switzerland have already landed. Turkey, China, and Mexico have also pledged or delivered assistance.
Experts from the US Geological Survey noted that the earthquakes were centred near Moron, about 170 kilometres west of Caracas. Marcos Ferreira, a geophysicist, explained that the “one-two punch” of successive quakes, combined with their shallow depth, significantly amplified the destruction.
Amidst the sorrow, there have been occasional moments of hope. In Caracas, a young man named Leandro was rescued to the applause of onlookers. In La Guaira, a young girl was pulled alive from a flattened 10-story building, with rescue officials praising her “strength and will to live.”
Nevertheless, with thousands still reported missing, authorities expect the death toll to continue to rise.
