The number of people killed in Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to 589, with 2,980 injured, acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Friday, as international rescue teams joined the search for survivors in the devastated coastal state of La Guaira. The updated death toll more than doubles the previous official figure of 235. Rodríguez said 214 aftershocks have been recorded since Wednesday night, when a 7.2 magnitude foreshock struck 39 seconds before a 7.5 magnitude quake—the strongest to hit Venezuela since 1900. Rescue workers from Switzerland, Mexico, the Netherlands, El Salvador, and the United States are now assisting local teams, while the UN has promised a coordinated international response.

Rodríguez also announced that La Guaira, the worst-affected area, would be “militarised” to help the emergency response. The death toll is expected to rise further as search operations continue.

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The Rescue Effort

International teams have been arriving throughout Thursday and Friday. Switzerland sent 80 rescue workers, 18 tonnes of supplies, and eight search dogs, arriving in the early hours of Friday. The Netherlands deployed 65 rescue workers and eight dogs. Mexico sent military search-and-rescue personnel and health workers. El Salvador sent a team. US Marine Corps Major General Kevin Jarrard arrived in Caracas to oversee the Department of Defence’s support for relief efforts, according to US Southern Command.

The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “This needs an international global response, and we’ll coordinate that, and we will deliver. I want people to know in Venezuela that help is coming.”

The International Search and Rescue Dog Organisation said it is sending six teams of dogs and handlers. Spokesperson Nicola Puchelt explained that two dogs work each site—the first barks to signal a person in the rubble, and a second confirms before excavation begins. She said the first 72 hours of an operation are crucial, but insisted there is “always hope” of finding people alive after several days.

According to UN OCHA situation reports and emergency relief coordination statements, the international response has been rapid, though damage to Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves Caracas, has complicated logistics.

Rodríguez said dozens of people have been rescued alive. “It brings us joy that they can embrace their families and loved ones,” she said. Among those pulled from the rubble was Graciela Mora, who was conscious and spoke to the Associated Press while still on a stretcher. She said she clung to a doorframe “until all the floors collapsed,” breaking her finger in the process. A friend she was with died. She held her friend’s hand while waiting to be rescued “so she would not have to die alone.”

As our earlier reporting on the initial earthquake damage and rescue operation documented, the coastal state of La Guaira has been declared a disaster zone with dozens of buildings collapsed and communications severed.

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Hospitals Overwhelmed

A doctor in La Guaira told the BBC that the state’s two main hospitals are “completely overwhelmed” with a “critical lack” of medical supplies. The shortage predates the earthquakes. Venezuela’s health system has been deteriorating for years amid the country’s prolonged political and economic crisis.

Pedro Javier Fernandez, a member of the medical group Medicos Unidos Venezuela, told the BBC on Thursday: “The problem is not only this is a natural tragedy, but we have to realise, and we have to remember that Venezuela is in the context of a humanitarian, complex emergency.”

“All our hospitals lack supplies, lack medicines, we are not able to provide medical attention to our people on a normal day,” he said. “Now with this tragedy, the emergency is even bigger, and it’s more difficult to face than in other countries.”

Leopoldo López, the Venezuelan opposition leader living in exile in Spain, told the BBC that the devastation had revealed a “parallel collapse of the infrastructure, and also the incapacity of the state to provide timely rescue support for the people in the devastated areas.” He described Venezuela as a “failed state” but noted there had been “tremendous support by the civil society in Venezuela.”

According to Venezuelan Red Cross needs assessments and emergency appeals, the most urgently required items are emergency shelters, trauma care, safe water, and sanitation.

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The Geological Explanation

BBC Verify consulted seismologists to understand why cities more than 100 miles (160km) from the epicentre suffered such severe damage. Dr Laura Gregory, associate professor of earthquake geology at the University of Leeds, explained that earthquakes are not points but lines—ruptures that travel along fault lines.

“Instead of imagining an earthquake as a point, it’s like a line on the map. It’ll start at that epicentral region and then extend,” she said. Preliminary data suggests the earthquakes caused ruptures along the San Sebastián Fault, which extends from the epicentre along Venezuela’s coast.

Dr Amy Gilligan, lecturer in geophysics at the University of Aberdeen, said the fault likely ruptured for between 100km and 200km. She added that places built on soft sediments like sand experience “more shaking than if you’re on hard bedrock like granite.” Venezuela’s coastal cities, built on such sediments, absorbed the full force of the rupture.

New satellite photos from US spatial intelligence firm Vantor show the extent of the damage in La Guaira. One image shows a cluster of six buildings flattened—most of them high-rise apartment complexes. Another shows multi-storey blocks that once overlooked the Caribbean Sea, reduced to rubble.

As our coverage of Venezuela’s infrastructure challenges and building standards has reported, building codes in the country deteriorated alongside the state’s broader institutional capacity.

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Foreign Nationals Affected

Several countries have confirmed their citizens are among the dead and missing. Spain’s foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, said three Spanish nationals have been confirmed dead and 99 are missing. Spain has sent a military aircraft with personnel to help with rescue efforts.

Portugal’s foreign ministry confirmed nine Portuguese nationals have died, according to AFP. China’s state media cited the Chinese embassy in Caracas, confirming two deaths. Brazil’s foreign ministry said a Brazilian man and woman died. An Italian-Venezuelan has been confirmed dead, according to Italian media citing the foreign ministry.

The BBC’s Jorge Pérez reported from Caracas that many Venezuelans are desperately trying to contact loved ones in La Guaira, where phone communications have been largely severed. “They know the buildings where their relatives lived have collapsed, and despite their best efforts, they cannot get any information,” he said.

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FAQ

What is the latest death toll?

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed on Friday that 589 people have died and 2,980 have been injured. The toll is expected to rise further. At least 214 aftershocks have been recorded.

Which countries have sent rescue teams?

Switzerland (80 personnel, 18 tonnes of supplies, eight dogs), the Netherlands (65 personnel, eight dogs), Mexico (military search-and-rescue and health workers), El Salvador, and the United States have all sent teams. Spain has sent a military aircraft. The UN is coordinating the international response.

Why was the damage so severe far from the epicentre?

Seismologists say the quakes caused ruptures along the San Sebastián Fault, which extends 100-200km along Venezuela’s coast. Cities built on soft sediments experienced more intense shaking. Building codes had also deteriorated alongside Venezuela’s institutional capacity.

Are hospitals able to cope?

Doctors in La Guaira say the two main hospitals are “completely overwhelmed” with a “critical lack” of medical supplies. The shortages predate the earthquake—Venezuela’s health system has been in crisis for years.

Were foreign nationals affected?

Yes. Spain has confirmed three dead and 99 missing. Portugal confirmed nine dead. China confirmed two dead. Brazil confirmed two deaths. Italy confirmed one dead. The numbers are expected to change as more information becomes available.