The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to 920, while more than 50,000 people remain unaccounted for as rescue operations continue across the country`s devastated northern coast.
International search-and-rescue teams joined local emergency workers on Friday in an effort to locate survivors buried beneath collapsed buildings, particularly in the hardest-hit coastal state of La Guaira near the capital, Caracas.
The two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, causing widespread destruction across northern Venezuela.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP that tens of thousands of people were still missing, warning that the number of casualties could rise as rescue efforts continue.
Authorities announced that access to the disaster zone would be restricted from Friday night to support ongoing emergency operations.
Rescue teams from several countries, including Chile, Spain, Switzerland, Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico, have been deployed to assist local authorities.
At one heavily damaged residential complex in La Guaira, Chilean rescue workers said the collapse was so extensive that hopes of finding additional survivors were fading, with efforts increasingly focused on recovering bodies.
Across affected neighborhoods, relatives and volunteers continued searching through rubble by hand, saying heavy equipment and official assistance had been slow to arrive.
The disaster also sparked public frustration. Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez faced angry residents during a visit to one of the affected areas, where people accused authorities of failing to respond quickly enough.
The United States said it was sending a disaster response team of more than 250 personnel, including specialist urban search-and-rescue units with trained dogs.
The UN and humanitarian agencies warned that the earthquake struck a country already facing severe economic and humanitarian challenges, raising concerns that the crisis could worsen without sustained international assistance.
Among the victims were several foreign nationals, including citizens of Portugal, Spain, Brazil, China and Italy, while dozens of others remain missing, according to their respective governments.
Officials said the earthquakes were the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. A minute`s silence was observed before Friday`s FIFA World Cup matches in memory of those who lost their lives.
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