Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 920 as Relief Effort Expands
Authorities deploy the armed forces, distribute 2,600 tons of food, and mobilize international rescue teams as search operations continue across earthquake-hit La Guaira.
Caracas, PUREWILAYAH.COM – Venezuela has expanded its emergency response after the devastating earthquakes that struck the country's northern coast, with the official death toll rising to 920 and 3,360 people injured, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors in the hardest-hit areas.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Friday that authorities have already distributed 2,600 tons of food while rescue and humanitarian operations continue, particularly in La Guaira state, where the strongest impact was recorded.
According to official figures, the earthquakes have left 3,360 people injured and damaged 383 buildings, including residential structures, hospitals, commercial centers, and public facilities.
Rescue Operations Intensify
Jorge Rodríguez said emergency operations remain focused on rescuing survivors, evacuating the injured, and delivering humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
Authorities have recorded damage to 14 hospitals, 25 shopping centers, and more than 1,000 additional structures. To keep emergency corridors open, Rodríguez urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel to La Guaira, where roads are being used to transport heavy equipment, food, medicine, and medical supplies.
He also warned against the spread of misinformation after false reports of a tsunami circulated on social media.
“We ask citizens to rely only on official information and not to contribute to the spread of fake news,” he said.
International Rescue Teams Arrive
Rescue specialists from across Venezuela have been deployed to La Guaira from multiple states, including Zulia, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo, Barinas, Miranda, Yaracuy, Anzoátegui, Portuguesa, Monagas, and Cojedes.
International assistance has also begun arriving. Venezuelan authorities said at least 861 specialized rescue personnel from 16 countries—including Mexico, the United States, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia, Spain, Ecuador, Chile, and Panama—are participating in search-and-rescue operations.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez earlier announced the militarization of La Guaira, authorizing the immediate deployment of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) to coordinate humanitarian relief and maintain public security throughout the affected region.
Hospitals Overwhelmed
Despite the expanding relief effort, rescue operations continue under difficult conditions as thousands remain displaced or injured.
Delcy Rodríguez said authorities would do everything possible “to save as many people as possible” while expressing solidarity with the families of those killed in what has become Venezuela’s deadliest earthquake in more than a century.
Footage from José María Vargas Hospital in La Guaira showed patients receiving treatment in outdoor areas as medical facilities struggled to cope with the large number of casualties following the twin earthquakes, measured at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5.
Infrastructure Struggles Under Years of Sanctions
The scale of the disaster has exposed the severe strain on Venezuela’s public infrastructure after years of economic hardship.
Emergency response has been challenged by weakened public institutions and aging infrastructure, conditions that have been aggravated by years of United States sanctions, alongside restrictive measures imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom.
The earthquakes struck one of Venezuela’s most densely populated coastal regions, leaving emergency workers racing against time as rescue operations continue and authorities assess the full extent of the destruction. (PW)