Venezuela Rescue Teams Search Rubble Four Days After Twin Earthquakes

Rescue teams in Venezuela are searching through collapsed buildings four days after twin earthquakes struck the country. Government officials reported the death toll reached 1,430 on Saturday, with nearly 3,500 people injured. Authorities said thousands remain missing as the window for finding survivors narrows.

Cargo planes carrying emergency supplies have begun landing after the main airport in Caracas partially reopened to relief flights. In La Guaira state, north of Caracas, buildings lie pancaked with floors stacked like decks of cards. Residents dig through rubble using small shovels and their hands.

Helicopters fly overhead while people wait near damaged structures for news of anyone pulled from the debris.

One resident whose home was destroyed said her father and nephew remain trapped. She survived because she was outside celebrating a national holiday when the quakes hit. Sanitation concerns are growing in the humid weather, with some areas already showing signs of decay.

Officials have cordoned off damaged zones and opened shelters for those left homeless. Venezuela has faced economic and institutional strain for more than a decade, and the disaster adds further pressure on the country's response capacity.