A critical 72-hour window to find survivors of Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes has closed, reducing hopes to find people still buried under the rubble alive.
The official death toll now stands at 1.450, but figures could climb rapidly as tens of thousands remain unaccounted for. More than 3,000 people are injured and over 12,700 displaced. Over 46,000 people are reported missing, according to a website were family members and loved ones can search for information about them.
Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said the country is going through "crucial hours to continue rescuing lives and to build camps where those people who have lost their homes, or who cannot return, for whatever reason, to their residences can stay."
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said on Sunday that rescue efforts will continue. She noted that 33 people were pulled from rubble over the weekend. However, her administration has been heavily criticized over the lack of heavy equipment to accelerate efforts.
Rescue teams from different countries, including the U.S., Colombia and France, arrived to provide assistance. Overall, 44 urban search-and-rescue teams have made their way to the country.
The U.S. Southern Command said in a social media post that marines assisting in the efforts are working "around the clock to support international search and rescue operations in the hardest-hit areas."
"Searching through shadows and rubble to save lives. U.S. Marines navigate hazardous debris and collapsed structures in Venezuela to locate survivors following the June 24 earthquakes," the post added.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblors had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. Its predictive model has given a 42% chance of at least 10,000 fatalities based on historical averages. The first one had its center less than 18 miles northwest from the town of Montalban and struck at a depth of 8.2 miles. Almost instantly the other, stronger earthquake struck less than four miles north from the initial one.
"This earthquake was the second event in a doublet, this magnitude 7.5 mainshock was preceded just 39 seconds before by a 7.2 foreshock," the USGS said.
The state of La Guaira, located in the country's northern coast, has been hit the hardest. More than 100 buildings collapsed there, and dozens of heavy machinery equipment have been deployed to the region.
The UN's migration body said almost 7 million people could be affected by the earthquake and its aftermath.
