Venezuelans searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings and rescue teams raced to northern areas rocked by a pair of powerful earthquakes that killed at least 589 people and left thousands injured.
Acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced the new death toll on Friday, surrounded by government and military officials as she welcomed the arrival of rescue crews from all over the world.
“We are going to rescue the people who are trapped,” she said. “We are working tirelessly on this task.”
She said the state of La Guaira has been hardest hit by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck on Wednesday evening, noting that it has been militarised as crews search for survivors and distribute food and water.
The number of casualties is expected to climb with thousands reported missing.
Ms Rodríguez noted that crews have rescued dozens of people, saying, “It brings us joy that they can embrace their families and loved ones.”
The earthquakes were among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century and were felt throughout the region.
“Unfortunately, we have received around 235 patients who arrive without vital signs or die when they arrive at our health facilities,” health minister Carlos Alvarado told state media.
The coastal region of La Guaira, which is north of the capital, Caracas, experienced some of the heaviest damage and casualties, officials said.
Buildings were evacuated as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometres (1,050 miles) from Caracas, where the country’s main airport was damaged and closed.
In cities across northern Venezuela, panicked residents poured into the streets and many walked among the debris searching for the missing.
Television broadcasts showed rescue workers using power tools to get through piles of rubble.
In La Guaira, retired schoolteacher Juan Alberto Mendano climbed through wreckage and past a dead body when he spotted a woman who was trapped and signalling with her hand for help.
“God, let them rescue her as quickly as possible,” said Mr Mendano.
“When we heard the scream, there was nothing we could do.”
At another damaged apartment complex, residents shouted the names of missing people: “Mirna! Marquitos!”
Offers of help poured in from around the world, including from the US, which seized Venezuela’s then-president Nicolas Maduro at the beginning of the year in a surprise military operation.
The natural disaster poses a major challenge for acting president Ms Rodriguez, the former vice president who took office in January after Maduro’s capture.
Venezuela has been facing economic disarray for more than a decade, and many people reject the legitimacy of the political movement Ms Rodriguez represents.
While Venezuela sits near multiple fault lines, its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates makes strong earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America.
The US Geological Survey said the first earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2, hit west of Moron on the Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometres (105 miles) west of Caracas.
It had a depth of 22 kilometres (about 14 miles).
Just a minute later, USGS reported a second 7.5 magnitude earthquake, with a depth of 10 kilometres (about six miles) and an epicentre 16 kilometres (10 miles) south-west of Moron.
Officials urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could cause further damage.
During the quakes, people ran from swaying buildings.
Many were stunned on Thursday morning as they saw buildings reduced to skeletons, furniture hanging out of windows and helicopters circling overhead.
In La Guaira, Cristian Carreno stared at his charred apartment building tilting precariously to one side.
“I lost everything,” he said.
“There are people still inside, I imagine, that couldn’t get out. It’s incredibly devastating.”
Dayana Delgado, mother of three children, said she was desperate because her eight-year-old son was missing.
“I want to know where my child is, if he’s trapped or in a shelter,” she said.
Ms Delgado asked where the heavy machinery was that government officials had promised, pointing out that neighbours were the ones digging through the rubble.
Authorities warned people against returning to homes with structural damage.
In central Caracas, hundreds spent the night huddled in parks, car parks and other open spaces.
“We were afraid the buildings would collapse on us,” said Maria Cristina Diaz, a 41-year-old janitor.
“My mother, my daughter and I were cold. We didn’t sleep a wink.”
“It was awful. We cried, we screamed. Thankfully, we’re alive,” she added.
Parts of the capital lost power and mobile service, Ms Rodriguez said.
Subway services were suspended and natural gas was shut off, she said.
Classes will also be cancelled for several days, and the Ministry of Education said some school buildings would be used as shelters and donation centres.
Families began posting missing-person flyers with photos of loved ones, while others shared handwritten lists of names as they searched for those still unaccounted for.
Venezuelans living abroad struggled to make contact with relatives.
The UN human rights mission in Venezuela called on the government to lift local restrictions on social media so people can get more timely access to potentially life-saving information.
In August 2024, Maduro ordered X blocked in an attempt to suppress the exchange of information among those who rejected his claim of victory in the July presidential elections.
Ms Rodriguez declared a state of emergency in an address to the nation late on Wednesday.
She said the government was creating a 200 million dollar reconstruction fund for hospitals and homes damaged by the earthquakes, and had instructed the economy and finance ministers to oversee the effort.
Countries from across the world from Qatar to Mexico began to send aid to Venezuela.
Ms Rodriguez expressed thanks for the messages of support and offers for help.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio, who had spoken to Ms Rodriguez following the quake, said the US is “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela”.
“We have a whole government response,” Mr Rubio said on Thursday in Bahrain, noting the were facing logistical obstacles with Caracas’ airport collapsed.
“It will be big. It will be fast. It will be effective.”
Venezuelan public television showed the arrival of rescue workers and aid from Chile at a military base in Aragua state early on Friday, while a team of 80 specialists and eight search dogs from Switzerland also arrived with aid supplies.
Turkey announced two flights will leave Istanbul on Friday with military, medical and rescue personnel and a pair of search dogs. Leaders from Qatar, Brazil, Spain, Portugal and Canada also vowed to send assistance.
Rescue teams from El Salvador and the Dominican Republic arrived in Venezuela on Thursday, along with rescuers and material aid from Mexico.
“No country is prepared to provide the response that’s needed. That’s what neighbouring countries are there for,” Dominican Air Force Major Carlos Olivares said.
The Venezuelan diaspora was also helping. In Ecuador, Felix Rodriguez said his store was receiving donations from his fellow Venezuelans as well as Ecuadorians.
“My business is always ready for whatever Venezuela needs,” he said.
