The death toll from the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela has increased to at least 1,430, the President of the country’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced on Saturday.
According to CNN, Rodríguez also revealed that no fewer than 3,238 people sustained injuries, while 3,142 families have been displaced after losing their homes.
READ MORE: World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Full Fixtures, Dates and Venues Confirmed
He further disclosed that Venezuela has recorded at least 430 aftershocks since the two powerful earthquakes struck earlier this week.
The twin quakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, rocked the South American nation on Wednesday, causing widespread destruction across the coastal region of La Guaira.
With rescue operations stretched thin due to limited government emergency response teams, residents in the worst-affected communities have resorted to digging through collapsed buildings with their bare hands in search of survivors. Aid agencies have also warned that the critical 72-hour rescue window is rapidly closing.
CNN also reported that a senior official in the administration of US President Donald Trump said Washington is maintaining “strong communication” with Venezuela’s interim authorities on both political and military matters following the disaster.
“We have a unique relationship with the interim authorities, and we’re working very closely with them to address urgent needs and ensure logistics are fully operational,” the official told reporters on Saturday.
The official disclosed that one of the runways at Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas had resumed operations, allowing humanitarian assistance to increase. The development was credited to coordination between the United States and Venezuela’s interim government, while noting that the airport’s second runway remains severely damaged and unusable.
The official added that mobile hospitals were expected to arrive on Saturday, while the US is deploying additional Starlink terminals to improve communications across affected areas. More humanitarian supplies are also being mobilised, while two 80-member US search-and-rescue teams have already assisted in locating survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures.
Responding to reports of restricted access to some of the hardest-hit communities, the official suggested that the main challenge stemmed from logistical and communication constraints, particularly congestion at available airfields.
“You’re dealing with multiple international teams attempting to land at the same airport while trying to determine which air assets remain operational and how to move limited ground logistics into affected areas. These are common challenges in disasters of this scale,” the official said.
The official further revealed that the USS Fort Lauderdale has reached the region and is now supporting evacuation efforts by airlifting injured victims to its onboard medical facilities. The vessel is also serving as a command-and-control centre for coordinating humanitarian logistics and airlift operations.
About The Author
