Venezuela earthquake death toll hits 1,430 as rescue window closes

Rescue crews raced Saturday to find survivors buried in rubble across Venezuela's northern coast, three days after twin earthquakes killed 1,430 people and injured more than 3,200.

The US aid flights have landed in Caracas as millions face shortages of clean water and sanitation, with the UN warning that up to 6.76 million people may need emergency assistance.

How many people have died in the Venezuela earthquake?

The death toll from Venezuela's earthquakes stands at 1,430, with 3,238 people injured, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. More than 50,000 people remain missing. The UN has estimated $6.7 billion in physical damage, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's GDP.

Why are rescuers running out of time to find survivors?

Experts say the first 72 hours after a natural disaster are the critical window for finding people alive. After that point, survival rates drop sharply and recovery shifts from rescue to body retrieval. "At this point, they are probably dead bodies," said one Salvadoran rescue worker. "Thanks to God, maybe we can find people still alive."

Australian firefighter Craig Demeillon, 43, traveled alone from Miami to the hardest-hit coastal state of La Guaira to help. "It's just very chaotic, hot and unorganized," he said. "Hopefully there's more people to find."

There was a moment of relief Friday when locals pulled a newborn alive from the wreckage in La Guaira, some 32 hours after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors struck Wednesday.

What is the scale of the humanitarian crisis?

The UN migration agency said up to 6.76 million people could be affected, requiring emergency shelter, clean water, sanitation, healthcare and essential supplies. Twenty-one countries have dispatched search-and-rescue teams. The US is sending more than 250 disaster response personnel, including three specialized search-and-rescue units with trained dogs.

One runway at Simon Bolivar International Airport is partially operational to receive US military C-17 cargo planes. A US naval ship has also arrived off the coast.

Why are Venezuelans angry at the government's earthquake response?

Venezuelans have expressed fury at officials for restricting access to La Guaira state and requiring volunteers to obtain a safe-entry pass before entering the disaster zone. Crowds waited outside a Caracas concert hall for hours to collect the mandatory permits.

"You need a permit to save lives — just imagine," said Carlos Itriago, 27. "I've been here since dawn standing in line so I can go rescue people," added Ezequiel Rivero, 53. "How many lives have we already lost by now?"

Yessica Mendoza, 43, was forced to transport her own daughter to a Caracas morgue after 25-year-old Yesimar Rodriguez and her husband Jhomel Anaya, 26, were killed when their La Guaira home collapsed. "We were the ones who pulled them out ourselves," she said. "No help ever came."

How does Venezuela's political crisis complicate the disaster response?

Venezuela's earthquakes, the worst in more than a century, have struck a country already weakened by over a decade of economic collapse. Hospitals and public services have been hollowed out by the crisis, driving millions of Venezuelans to emigrate. The country remains in a fragile political transition six months after US special forces captured authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro in January.

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said she spoke with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reaffirmed their commitment to supporting relief efforts. Rodriguez faced public outrage over the government's response but thanked international partners for the outpouring of aid.

How does Venezuela's death toll compare to past earthquakes?

Earthquakes of similar magnitude have caused catastrophic loss of life in the region before. The 2010 Haiti earthquake killed more than 200,000 people, while the 2005 Kashmir earthquake claimed around 73,000 lives. Among those killed in Venezuela were 28 Portuguese nationals, five Spaniards, seven Chinese nationals, two Brazilians and nationals from Chile, Italy and Uruguay.