Back-to-back earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday, killing more than 1,400 people and causing widespread destruction in the capital, Caracas, and the adjoining coastal state of La Guaira.

Foreign rescue teams have poured into La Guaira, the hardest-hit state, where dozens of buildings collapsed into piles of sand and rubble. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing, and that people have been recovered alive, so operations are not being suspended.

Rodriguez announced that classes would be suspended for one more week and that electricity supply in La Guaira had been restored to 75 percent. Her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, said the death toll had risen to 1,450, with 3,150 injured and 12,721 displaced. At least 774 buildings had collapsed.

The US regime announced plans to deploy warships, transport planes and helicopters and provide $150 million in aid. Brazil sent firefighters and medical supplies. El Salvador readied 300 paramedics and 50 tonnes of equipment. Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Turkey, Qatar, France, India, China, and other countries also sent support.

Amid the devastation, several miraculous rescues were reported. A wailing infant was recovered from the rubble. An 11-year-old boy named Moises was saved by a Colombian rescue team; his mother and sister were killed. Another 11-year-old, Rodriguez, was rescued by a Mexican team.

Videos on social media showed people forming a human chain to unload trucks carrying humanitarian supplies. Pope Leo XIV expressed closeness to Venezuelans and sent initial emergency aid of 100,000 euros.

Source: www.aljazeera.com