Death Toll Rises to 589 in Venezuela Earthquakes as Foreign Rescuers Arrive

The death toll from the twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 589 people, with 2980 injured, as foreign rescue teams arrived on Friday, two days after the powerful quakes devastated parts of the country. A missing persons website shared by Venezuela’s opposition leaders listed more than 49,600 people as unaccounted for following two powerful earthquakes that devastated parts of the country.Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the disaster could ultimately claim more than 10,000 lives.Officials confirmed that 235 bodies had been taken to medical facilities following the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, which struck roughly 100 miles west of Caracas on Wednesday. Spain’s foreign ministry reported that three Spanish citizens had died, four remained trapped beneath collapsed buildings, and another 99 were still missing.As international rescue teams arrived, firefighters, military personnel, and volunteers searched through damaged buildings, often relying on flashlights and their bare hands in areas where electricity had failed.“He’s under the slabs and there’s no machinery to get him out,” said Yamileth Jimenez of her 19-year-old son stuck in debris of their seven-story apartment building in La Guaira city on the coast outside Caracas.The disaster has left thousands homeless in a country already struggling with years of economic hardship, political instability, and deteriorating infrastructure. Many residents live in vulnerable hillside neighborhoods known as “barrios,” where buildings are especially susceptible to collapse.“My building is uninhabitable and now I have nothing. It’s just me and my son, and I have no family in the country,” said Suhayl Sarquiz, 50, who recently lost her job.“It’s a tragedy,” said Beatriz Rodriguez, 60, whose nephew’s legs were amputated due to being crushed in the quakes. Another nephew was killed.Authorities reported that at least 250 buildings were either damaged or destroyed, including eight hospitals, the Venezuelan Red Cross headquarters, and the French Embassy.The United Nations’ migration agency estimated that nearly 7 million people could be affected and was distributing emergency shelters and humanitarian supplies.La Guaira, home to Venezuela’s main international airport, was among the hardest-hit areas. Volunteers traveled from Caracas carrying food, drinking water, medicine, and other essentials for survivors.Pedro Perez, 64, said both his home and upholstery business had been destroyed. He and his family were forced to sleep outdoors while waiting for assistance. “We lost everything,” he said. “We hope help arrives quickly.”In Moron, a coastal town in Carabobo state near the earthquake’s epicenter, residents were left without electricity or running water. Families searched through the wreckage to recover belongings such as mattresses, televisions, and household appliances.Reuters journalists also observed members of pro-government motorcycle groups known as “colectivos” participating in rescue operations.Countries from around the world pledged assistance, including several that have previously had strained relations with Venezuela.Rodriguez expressed gratitude to both U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin for offering support. The United States temporarily relaxed sanctions to allow humanitarian aid to reach the country more easily.Trump stated that the United States was prepared to assist, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that rescue teams would be deployed and the Pentagon would help with logistics and operations at Caracas’ damaged airport.Rodriguez shared footage showing Mexican rescue personnel and search dogs arriving at La Guaira’s airport, which was operating only for government and military flights. Additional aid entered the country through airports in Maracay and Valencia.U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said international rescue efforts were being coordinated on a large scale, emphasizing that the country already faced significant humanitarian needs before the disaster. Ciro Ugarte of the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization stressed that the first hours after the earthquakes were critical, noting hospitals were treating many patients with fractures and burns.SpaceX announced that its Starlink satellite internet service would be provided free of charge through July 25 for customers in affected areas and that additional terminals would be deployed to restore communications in the hardest-hit regions.Despite the devastation, foreign energy companies reported that Venezuela’s oil industry had suffered little disruption, with major oil infrastructure largely unaffected.The Caracas Stock Exchange remained closed as its building was repurposed into a collection center for emergency relief supplies.Before this disaster, Venezuela’s deadliest modern earthquake occurred in 1967, when approximately 240 people lost their lives.Reuters contributed to this report.