Rescue Efforts Intensify as Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises

LA GAIRA, Venezuela — Daniel Cordero, bloodied but alive, was pulled from the wreckage of a collapsed building in Catia La Mar by rescue workers, who placed him on a stretcher as crowds filmed the dramatic scene.

Following the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck Venezuela earlier this week, Cordero’s rescue and several others have provided a glimmer of hope amid growing despair. Government officials confirmed Saturday that the death toll has reached at least 1,430, with thousands injured and tens of thousands missing—a figure expected to rise as search operations continue.

Amid scorching heat, civilians and international rescue teams pressed forward with recovery efforts Saturday. Aid organizations emphasize that the first 48 to 72 hours are critical for locating survivors, though survival chances may extend slightly if victims have access to food and water.

Moments of resilience punctuated the day: a 4-year-old child was rescued, and an elderly man with facial injuries received applause upon his extraction. However, many families faced heartbreaking losses. Daritza Polo learned Friday that her mother perished in the quake, while brother and sister Leyder Rojas (3) and Leymar Rojas (10) were found dead in the rubble, their mother collapsing in grief as rescuers worked.

“It’s horrible—we’ve seen too much,” said their uncle, Ramón Eduardo, through tears. “We got one alive, thank God… but not all of them.” The family’s 4-year-old brother Adrián survived, a rare relief amid the tragedy.

In La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas, Noribel Mendoza and her sons, Andrés David (21) and Ángel Eduardo (19), remain missing since their apartment building collapsed. Their aunt, Ángela Molina Castro, said rescue teams have yet to arrive, leaving neighbors and friends struggling to clear debris. “We don’t know if they were there, in the hospital, or a clinic,” she said. “They’re still human beings like us—this is a tragedy I’ve never lived through.”

Flor María González clings to hope for her daughter, Dilinyer Caroley Rada González (33), and her three grandchildren—Jonas (10), Ashley (8), and Angely (6)—whose home was destroyed. After returning from a visit to Caracas, González watched from a distance as rescuers combed the area. Her other daughter waits outside the collapsed building, praying for news. “We still have faith,” she said.

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