Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 1,450 as Rescue Window Closes

The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has climbed to at least 1,450, with thousands more still unaccounted for as the critical 72-hour window for finding survivors alive has officially passed.

The back-to-back quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck on Wednesday evening, June 25, causing widespread destruction across coastal and inland Venezuela. Some 774 buildings were badly damaged, including 189 that have completely collapsed, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. Nearly 50,000 people remained unaccounted for as of Sunday, June 29, and 3,150 others were injured.

Rescue Efforts Continue Despite Closing Window

Despite the 72-hour threshold, rescue teams from 24 countries have not halted the search. A man and his teenage son were pulled alive from the rubble in Caraballeda, a coastal town north of Caracas, by French and American teams on Sunday, offering a rare moment of hope.

More than 2,700 search-and-rescue personnel have arrived from abroad, along with 521 tonnes of supplies and 86 units of trained rescue dogs. The United States has deployed a 250-person disaster response team and is sending an additional 230 military personnel to help reopen the area's key seaport and expand airport capacity.

"Today we have rescued people who are still alive and therefore these efforts will not be suspended," said acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Sunday.

Scale of the Disaster

The UN migration agency estimates that up to 6.76 million people could be affected, requiring shelter, water, sanitation, and healthcare. The United Nations has put physical damage at $6.7 billion, roughly 6% of Venezuela's GDP.

Outbreaks of looting were reported in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas, where residents described slow and insufficient aid from local authorities. The earthquakes have struck a country already deep in an economic crisis that has hollowed out hospitals and public services over the past decade.

This is Venezuela's worst earthquake disaster in more than a century. The IOM is tracking the humanitarian response as international relief efforts continue to expand.

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