Hopes for finding more survivors of Venezuela earthquake fade despite late rescue | Stories About Earthquakes

A few late rescues have been reported across Venezuela, as hopes of finding more survivors four days after a devastating earthquake began to fade.

No new threat was issued on Sunday, while officials said on Saturday that 1,430 people were confirmed dead, following the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck near the coast of La Guiara on Wednesday.

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At the end of Saturday, it was 72 hours after the terrible earthquakes occurred, when the authorities said that the trapped people were expected to survive. More than 50,000 are reported missing.

A few saves on Sunday gave hope.

Among the group was a 60-year-old woman who was rescued from the ruins of a house on the beach in Carabayida. He had been imprisoned for 86 hours.

In a post on X, the President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele said the rescue teams sent by his country and Peru worked for eleven hours to save the woman.

He was taken to a hospital in Caracas for treatment, where his condition remains “weak”, he said.

“This victory was achieved thanks to the hard work and perseverance of our rescuers, who worked tirelessly throughout the night and into the morning, with the help of Peruvian USAR rescuers,” said Bukele.

A US rescue team in Virginia pulled a father and son from the rubble early Sunday morning and placed them on a black tarp into an ambulance, according to the Associated Press.

US officials said late Saturday that an infant had been rescued from a collapsed building, while officials in Colombia and Mexico said two 11-year-old boys were rescued in separate operations.

‘You’re still under the rubble’

Venezuela’s former president, Delcy Rodriguez, said Sunday that at least 33 people had been rescued over the weekend, while the UN said 2,200 members of foreign rescue teams were working across the country.

More than 14,000 soldiers and police were marching in La Guaira district, where access is now closed and special permits are required to enter, Rodriguez said.

Criticism of the Venezuelan government’s actions has increased.

In one case, people blocked an excavator from leaving the site of a collapsed building and pulled the operator from his house after he took selfies in front of the collapsed buildings, then left without help, the Associated Press reported.

Standing outside a collapsed building in the Los Palos Grandes neighborhood of Caracas, Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto said a rescue team in Mexico was still hoping to find survivors as volunteers helped collect items scattered amid the destruction.

“Here, at least 20 people are still in the ruins,” Soto said.

“You can see here how the rescuers, the rescuers of the world and the ordinary volunteers are the ones who are working on this and facing the problem,” he added.

Reports from Catia La Mar in La Guaira, Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo said family members documented several collapsed buildings as they were unable to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones.

“Relatives are waiting outside for their bodies to be taken,” said Bo.

He added that aid, including water and food, had only just started arriving in the worst-hit area, with many people continuing to camp outside.

“What is happening now is a big test for countries,” said Bo.

He said the tragedy was a “big test” for the government of Delcy Rodriguez, who took office after the US military coup of Nicolas Maduro in January.

Rodriguez has vowed to be an agent of change in a country that has been struggling with economic and social problems. He has closely aligned himself with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Washington has sent in rescue teams, while pledging $150m to support the UN response and other aid groups.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday that the bloc had mobilized five million euros ($5.7 million) for emergency aid.

The EU’s Copernicus satellite program was helping to map the damage and target aid to the areas most in need, he added.

Speaking to worshipers in Rome on Saturday, Pope Leo prayed for “eternal rest for the dead”.

“In the same way, I express my gratitude and encouragement to all those who are working so generously in the search and rescue operation,” he said.