The death toll from Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes has tragically risen above 1,400. As international rescue teams flood into the country, authorities are redoubling their efforts to find survivors in the most severely affected coastal regions.

Rescuers have been working tirelessly across La Guaira and parts of Caracas, where desperate families and volunteers have been sifting through the debris for days. Many have expressed frustration over the limited availability of heavy equipment and a subdued official presence in the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

More than 1,600 foreign rescuers have arrived, with additional teams en route, bolstering the international response to the twin quakes that struck on Wednesday, triggering hundreds of aftershocks.

In Caraballeda, one of the hardest-hit areas in La Guaira, U.S. helicopters have been seen ferrying rescue crews to a makeshift landing zone, according to Reuters witnesses. These teams are quickly deployed into the search zones before returning for their next assignment.

Among the many volunteers is Alejandro Serrano, a 33-year-old industrial engineer who traveled from San Cristobal. He is desperately searching for his 24-year-old sister, Ana Serrano, whose home in the Bahía Mar building in Caraballeda was destroyed. Serrano recounted his fruitless search at Caracas' Perez Carreno Hospital on Thursday night and has since provided his sister's details to rescue teams from Argentina and El Salvador, clinging to the hope that she is alive.

Sleeping in the Street Amidst Aftershocks

Residents have reported an inconsistent response across various areas, though heavy machinery was deployed in parts of Caraballeda and Los Corales by Saturday.

In the small Los Corales area, specifically Valle del Pino, Beisy Rivas, 60, noted that several homes in her neighborhood, though damaged, remained standing. "Since the night of the earthquakes, almost all the neighbors have been sleeping in the street because of the aftershocks," she shared, her voice trembling with the emotional toll of the disaster and the loss of loved ones.

Nearby, Yendri Santana described her community of 30 homes as having wall cracks, but thankfully, no fatalities. She and Rivas were collecting food donations when Santana mentioned her sister had lost her small home but was fortunate to survive. "It hurts to see people struggle so much only to lose everything," she lamented.

Authorities have maintained restricted access to La Guaira, controlling the main road from Caracas to prioritize emergency vehicles. Civilians not part of official rescue teams require special credentials to pass through checkpoints.

Power is gradually being restored throughout the region. Venezuela's power grid, long weakened by underinvestment and economic sanctions, frequently experiences outages, leading to prolonged blackouts in various areas.

Tens of Thousands Missing

While the government reports hundreds missing or trapped, a website supported by the country's opposition lists over 55,000 people as unaccounted for.

The U.S. Geological Survey had initially estimated that the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes could result in over 10,000 deaths, placing this disaster among the deadliest in Latin American history over the past century.

The aftermath of this disaster could have significant political ramifications for interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who has positioned herself as a reformer despite her previous role as vice president to Nicolas Maduro, who was ousted and arrested by the U.S. in January.

Pope Leo, speaking from Rome on Saturday, offered prayers for the victims, their families, and the relief workers, expressing hope for continued global solidarity with Venezuela.

The United States has dispatched aid to Venezuela following the quakes. A senior U.S. administration official indicated that a substantial funding package, potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars, is expected to be announced soon, in addition to the $150 million already committed by the Trump administration.

A White House official also informed Reuters that renewed calls from Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who left the country late last year, for U.S. assistance in her return are causing frustration among senior Washington officials, who deem it premature given the ongoing disaster relief efforts.