Venezuela Reports 2,645 Dead After Double Earthquakes

Authorities on Friday reported a total of 2,645 deaths and more than 12,000 wounded from the pair of earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week. Most fatalities occurred in the coastal town of La Guaira, where scores of residential buildings collapsed. Officials have not issued an official count of missing persons, though the UN estimates the figure could reach 50,000.

Rescue teams began scaling back search efforts nine days after the disaster. The critical 72-hour window for finding survivors has long passed, though isolated reports of possible signs of life continued. In the Caraballeda sector of La Guaira, one rescuer said shouts were heard from inside the rubble of the Tahiti building early Friday.

Foreign teams told AFP they found no confirmed survivors. Many residents who lost homes are sleeping in streets or in parks and public spaces converted into makeshift shelters.

Residents in La Guaira criticized the initial absence of official rescuers and said neighbors and volunteers were the first to dig through rubble by hand. One volunteer was seen urging soldiers to set aside rifles and assist with debris removal. The interim president defended the official effort and said anyone wishing to audit the response was welcome.

The United States is coordinating international rescue assistance. An exiled opposition leader told correspondents via Zoom that the absence of state presence was evident and called for figures the public could trust.

A makeshift outdoor morgue has been set up in the port of La Guaira, where families wait in long lines for bodies and death certificates. Officials have ruled out mass graves and ordered proper identification of the dead. Authorities are delivering 40 to 50 tons of humanitarian aid daily to temporary camps.