Venezuelans dig for earthquake survivors as 72-hour rescue window nears | Stories About Earthquakes

Rescuers are racing against time Venezuelaafter three days two strong earthquakes struckwith at least 920 people confirmed dead and more than 51,000 still missing.

Twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck on Wednesday, devastating the coastal area near La Guaira, as authorities moved on Friday night to block access as traffic chaos began to hamper the search.

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With the government’s rescue teams dwindling, Venezuelans have been left stranded in dire straits, digging through rubble with their bare hands, with aid agencies warning that the 72-hour survival window is closing fast.

Officials said anyone wishing to enter the area around La Guaira must now seek permits, but provided details on who would be allowed.

People say they have seen few government rescue teams in the worst-hit areas, although government officials paint a picture of a strong government response.

“Every person saved is a miracle,” said Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly.

“We are not hiding anything about the scale of this tragedy.”

Government forces distributed food and water to survivors in La Guaira, and President Delcy Rodriguez said his government was working in “difficult hours to save lives”.

They welcomed the arrival of international rescuers and humanitarian aid.

Rodriguez said La Guaira was “a warrior” and more help was on the way, as people said it was only a small part of what they needed.

Rodriguez, the vice president, took office in January after the United States seized and ousted President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela has been in the grip of an economic crisis for more than a decade, and many people reject the legitimacy of the political movement that Rodriguez represents.

‘People are still afraid to go back into their homes’

The death toll is expected to rise, with tens of thousands reported missing on independent websites.

These numbers may include people who were not contacted due to lack of phone signals, and some reports may be duplicates.

The number of injured was more than 3,300 as of Friday afternoon, and officials said they had rescued 243 people.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that 6.76 million people may be affected, about two million of them in Caracas alone.

“It is already clear that migration will increase, as people seek protection,” IOM Executive Director Amy Pope said in a statement. “A rapid response is essential as we provide life-saving assistance and support the Venezuelan people in the difficult days and months ahead.”

The damage was compounded by a rapid succession of shallow earthquakes, experts said.

Loyce Pace, director of the International Red Cross in the Americas, said, “People are still afraid to go back into their homes.

Venezuelan officials said on Saturday that 1,600 members of foreign rescue teams had arrived in the country to help with the search and rescue.

But speaking to Al Jazeera, Nicole Kast, Venezuela’s head of the International Rescue Committee, said rescuers were already “in the last hours of the search and rescue operation, 72 hours is the window in which we hope to find people still alive.”

“Venezuela already had a humanitarian crisis, with few resources within their security system,” Kast said. “Although rescue teams from around the world are coming, there is a huge gap, and many people are on the verge of destruction.”

Struggling to find loved ones

Reporting from Chacao, one of the hardest-hit areas in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto said hopes of finding survivors have dwindled.

“As we can see, the operations, the removal of debris, are continuing with heavy machinery and drilling,” said Soto.

“But the chance of finding survivors at this point, according to the rescuers, is almost zero,” he said.

He added that the ban on mobile and internet connections, especially in La Guaira district, has made it difficult for many people to find loved ones.

“This organization has become so poor that people, citizens, are criticizing it for not even knowing where their relatives and survivors are, nor where the bodies that have been found are being taken,” he said.