Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 1,450 as Rescue Window Closes

The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has climbed to at least 1,450, with thousands more still unaccounted for as the critical 72-hour window for finding survivors alive has officially passed.

The back-to-back quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck on Wednesday evening, June 25, causing widespread destruction across coastal and inland Venezuela. Some 774 buildings were badly damaged, including 189 that have completely collapsed, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. Nearly 50,000 people remained unaccounted for as of Sunday, June 29, and 3,150 others were injured.

Rescue Efforts Continue Despite Closing Window

Despite the 72-hour threshold, rescue teams from 24 countries have not halted the search. A man and his teenage son were pulled alive from the rubble in Caraballeda, a coastal town north of Caracas, by French and American teams on Sunday, offering a rare moment of hope.