International rescue teams are racing to find survivors in Venezuela as the death toll rises to nearly 1,500.

International rescue efforts are racing to find survivors in Venezuela as the death toll rises to nearly 1,500, with almost 50,000 still missing. The United States is also preparing to inject hundreds of millions of dollars in additional aid.

On June 29, 2026, at 09:53 AM, Reuters reported that rescue workers from several countries continued their search for survivors from the powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that shook Venezuela on Wednesday, amid hopes that some survivors may still be trapped under the rubble, even though time for rescue efforts is running out.

The latest death toll has risen to nearly 1,500, with the state of La Guaira, located about 40 kilometers from Caracas, being the hardest hit. Dozens of buildings have collapsed, leaving only piles of sand and rubble.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodriguez said the search and rescue operation is continuing because more survivors can still be rescued, and therefore the mission has not been ended. She emphasized that officials remain hopeful of finding more survivors.

The government also announced the formation of a special committee to inspect the safety of buildings nationwide, ordered schools in the affected areas to remain closed for another week, and stated that approximately 75% of the power system in La Guaira state has been restored.

However, the government has restricted access to the disaster area after a large number of volunteers traveled in bringing aid supplies, affecting the movement of rescue and emergency vehicles.

Meanwhile, Jorge Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly and brother of the acting president, revealed that the death toll rose by another 20 on Sunday, bringing the total to 1,450. There are also 3,150 injured, 12,721 homeless, and 774 buildings have collapsed.

He stated that this is a critical time for searching for survivors and establishing shelters for those who have lost their homes or are unable to return to their residences.

Over the past few days, affected families and volunteers have had to search for survivors on their own due to a shortage of heavy machinery and government personnel. Meanwhile, hundreds of aftershocks continue to occur, causing further damage and spreading panic.

The government says that at least 33 survivors were rescued over the past weekend alone, including several children, but tens of thousands more people remain unreachable.

One event that offered a glimmer of hope was the rescue of a father and son from the collapsed building on Sunday. Meanwhile, a website run by the opposition reported that nearly 50,000 people remain missing or unreachable, a slight decrease from approximately 55,000 the previous day.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the earthquake could kill more than 10,000 people, potentially making it one of the most severe natural disasters in Latin America in a century.

Sebastian Oyster, head of the Swiss rescue team, said that generally, the chances of rescuing survivors are highest within the first 72 hours after an earthquake, after which the chances of survival decrease significantly.

He revealed that the team's eight search dogs were able to locate several survivors under the rubble, but were unable to rescue them in time.

The U.S. State Department released video of a baby being rescued from the rubble by a U.S. rescue team on Saturday. Meanwhile, a Colombian rescue team helped save an 11-year-old boy named Moises, who was trapped under approximately three meters of rubble. They used a scanner to locate him before bringing him out on a stretcher. The boy suffered a broken arm, while his mother and older sister died in the incident.

Pope Leo expressed his condolences to the victims in Venezuela and thanked the rescue workers for their selfless service.

Meanwhile, senior US officials revealed that the US government is preparing to announce an additional aid package worth hundreds of millions of dollars within the next few days, following the $150 million in aid previously approved by President Donald Trump's administration.

Meanwhile, opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado revealed plans to return to Venezuela after fleeing the country late last year, despite some White House officials believing it is not yet the right time.

In addition, the Amuay oil refinery, with a production capacity of 645,000 barrels per day, had to shut down on Sunday after a widespread power outage in the western state of Falcon, further escalating concerns about Venezuela's energy and economic situation.

Reference: www.reuters.com

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