Thousands of Venezuelans are feared dead after two powerful earthquakes devastated the country’s north, including the Capital, Caracas. A large-scale search and rescue operation is ongoing, with emergency workers already pulling dozens of people alive from the rubble. As of Friday morning, at least 188 people are confirmed dead and more than 15-hundred injured.
The voices of desperate Venezuelans calling out for loved ones feared to be stuck under rubble, after two powerful earthquakes struck the country’s north.
As of Friday afternoon, at least 188 people are confirmed dead and more than 15-hundred injured.
A large-scale search and rescue operation is ongoing, and emergency workers have already pulled dozens of people alive from the rubble, but there are fears thousands more could be dead.
Arminda Gómez, is a resident in the hard-hit La Guaira state where more than 100 buildings have collapsed.
"I lost my daughter, my grandson, and my granddaughter, who was due to be born in a month. Please help me find my daughter and see if she's under the rubble, please."
Venezuelan President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez [[Hor-hay Rod-ree-gez]] says the La Guaira state and the Greater Caracas area have been hardest hit.
He says around 250 buildings have been destroyed across the country's north and all efforts are being directed toward searching for survivors.
"This is the time to save lives. This is the time to rescue people. This is the time to assist those who are at this moment trapped beneath the rubble of all the buildings, apartment blocks, shopping centers, bridges and roads that were damaged and directly struck the people.”
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes hit northern Venezuela within a minute of each other on Wednesday night local time, triggering more than 130 aftershocks and widespread destruction.
They are the country's most powerful earthquakes since 29 October, 1900, when a 7.7-magnitude tremor struck offshore.
Caracas resident Alan Chung describes the chaos in the Capital that followed the quakes.
"I was in the restaurant when the earthquake started and the the ground was shaking very, very hard. So everyone rushed out. The electricity lines above us were exploding and at the end of the road where I was, a building collapsed. I didn't see it go down, but I saw the cloud of dust heading towards me. Everyone was coming out from their apartments. Walls were coming down, I mean cracks were appearing in the front of the buildings. Everyone was terrified."
Offers of support have poured in from around the world, with Switzerland, Spain, France and Portugal among those sending specialists and rescue teams to Venezuela.
China, India, Brazil, the United States and even war-battered Iran have also offered help, while Pope Leo XIV has sent an initial 100,000 euros in aid to the country.
International aid is beginning to reach Venezuelan communities already, and international rescue teams continue to join those on the ground searching for survivors.
Aid worker Francine Delarosa says relief efforts are focused on getting support directly to affected communities as fast as possible.
"We've already, in less than 24 hours, set up a disaster distribution hub in Caracas that will help us distribute aid there and in the neighboring communities. We are assessing the situation there. I've seen how this aid and this relief really makes it to the heart of a community. When we say every single dollar that gets donated is used responsibly and wisely, every single dollar is used responsibly and wisely."
Chile's government has formally approved a humanitarian assistance mission, announcing it will deploy a team of specialised firefighters, doctors, structural engineers and search-and rescue personnel to Venezuela.
El Salvador's government has also sent a contingent of 300 rescuers and paramedics, as well as 50 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including medicine and essential supplies.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says her country will also be contributing resources and support.
"Our solidarity goes out to the people of Venezuela. Today, a team from the Ministry of National Defense, made up of rescue workers and medical personnel is departing for Venezuela. Once they are on the ground and have coordinated with the authorities, we will determine as early as tomorrow what additional personnel may be needed so that we can continue to help, as we always do, the people who need it."
As the United Nations welcomes offers of solidarity and support from around the world, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warns the recovery could take months.
"But this will be a long haul. There will be the immediate response to the devastation of the earthquake, but it will continue for months to come. And as I mentioned and you mentioned as well, there were already a lot of people who need of humanitarian aid. The Venezuelan people will require the solidarity of the international community.”
Spokesperson for the International Monetary Fund, Julie Kozack, says the organisation is working with the Venezuelan government to determine how best to support recovery.
"So, we're obviously closely monitoring developments, we've been closely engaged with the Venezuelan authorities, and we will remain closely engaged with them as they assess the economic impact and the recovery needs for Venezuela.”
And back home, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told the ABC the government is preparing for the possibility Australians could be among those affected.
"Our heart goes out to anyone here who has relatives or friends in Venezuela because this is one of the worst earthquakes that we have seen in recent times with catastrophic human consequences with massive loss of life, but also massive infrastructure damage and real consequences for the people of Venezuela."
SBS has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and there are no confirmed reports of Australians involved in the disaster.
