Venezuela’s twin earthquakes have left many areas without substantial government assistance, with residents taking on much of the rescue effort, according to BBC reports. In the port city of La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas, people are using basic tools like crowbars and pickaxes to try to dig out loved ones and neighbors. Tens of thousands of people are still missing.

Over 1,700 Dead in the Country’s Worst Natural Disaster

More than 1. 700 people have been killed in what Interim President Delcy Rodríguez described as the “most harsh natural catastrophe” in Venezuela’s history — Early on Monday, an aftershock frayed nerves but no further damage was reported. The initial quakes. Measuring 7.2 and 7.5. Struck within 39 seconds of each other in the northern state of La Guaira on Wednesday, causing nearly 800 buildings to collapse.

The Monday aftershock, measuring 4.6, once again shook La Guaira and the capital, Caracas; In Catia La Mar, local volunteers and international teams are still working on rescue efforts, with frustration growing among residents. Ruben Rojas, a 32-year-old electrician, noted that the civil protection team is helping but lacks the necessary equipment, adding that the government doesn’t provide it. “They are just like us, working with their hands,” he said.

Residents Take Matters into Their Own Hands

Carolyn Zerpa, 39, is searching for her father and brother by hand under the rubble. “You can’t really do much with just a pickaxe,” she told BBC Mundo. Her focus has shifted from rescue to recovery as she seeks the remains of her family for a proper burial. In La Guaira city, deployment of earth-moving equipment has been inconsistent, with heavy machinery arriving too late for some buildings. Zuly Marín, a resident of La Guaira for 15 years, expressed frustration with the slow response, which she attributes to Venezuela’s economic crisis.

“I lost my niece and my brother-in-law. I think that if they [the rescuers and digging equipment] had come sooner, many people could have been saved,” she said. In El Junquito, a mountainous area west of Caracas, residents told Reuters that few public officials have been seen, while farmers and others have been supplying basic needs to the community. “We are waiting for answers, for debris to be cleaned up, for inspections, for people who have been really affected to be helped,” said resident Keily Ibarra, 33.

International Aid and Government Response

On Monday, Rodríguez said more than 25,000 emergency workers, police officers, and soldiers had been assisting Venezuelans affected by the earthquakes. “Every life saved is a victory for hope,” she posted on social media platform X. She also announced a commission to assess the damage, led by her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. Speaking on state television, she said the group would determine who could return home using a colour-coded system to classify safety.

Temporary camps to house those displaced are being set up, she added. The rescued 21-year-old, Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas, was found in the town of Caraballeda by teams from Venezuela, Mexico, and El Salvador. The man is receiving specialized medical care, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said, adding that rescuers will continue their efforts with the hope of saving more lives.

The UN’s resident humanitarian coordinator, Gianluca Rampolla Del Tindaro, said there had been more than 500 aftershocks and at least 2,500 structures affected by the initial quakes, most of which had fully collapsed. The UN is obtaining 10,000 body bags as part of its rescue operation, he added, noting that a rise in the death toll is unavoidable. “It is very sad and we truly hope that actually the number is going to be smaller than that and that’s why we are focusing now on the rescue operation,” he said.

International aid has also increased. The US has announced more than $300 million in assistance to Venezuela, an increase from its previous commitment of $150 million. The aid will provide emergency medical care, food assistance, water and sanitation, shelter, protection, and logistics, the US state department said. A US frigate, the USS Fort Lauderdale, is currently off the coast of La Guaira, delivering aid to the most affected coastal areas. The Netherlands is also sending a vessel with emergency supplies, while China has promised nearly $15 million in assistance.