Rescue workers in Venezuela race to free hundreds trapped in rubble as quake death toll climbs to 920

A registry lists nearly 50,000 unaccounted for after Wednesday evening's 7.2 and 7.5 tremors

Rescue efforts intensify as global aid comes to Venezuelan quake victims

Desperate Venezuelans and foreign rescuers raced to find survivors trapped under rubble on Friday after twin earthquakes flattened parts of Caracas and surrounding areas, as frustration mounted over a lack of heavy equipment and the death toll neared 1,000.

Foreign rescue teams and aid began arriving nearly ‌two days after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors struck about 160 kilometres west of Caracas.

The government estimated 172 remained trapped under the rubble on top of 920 confirmed fatalities and 3,360 injuries. A website taking reports of the missing listed more than 50,000 as of Friday afternoon.

The U.S. Geological Survey has predicted high potential for more than 10,000 deaths, which would place the quakes among the deadliest earthquakes in Latin America in the last century.

Spain's Foreign Ministry earlier confirmed that two of its nationals had died, with another 80 unaccounted for.

Venezuela was in crisis even before quakes struck, says Caracas journalist

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit first on Wednesday evening. Less than ‌a minute later, it was followed by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, the strongest since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Thousands are homeless in a nation already weakened by decades of economic and political turmoil that has impoverished the nation, triggered an exodus of millions and eroded basic infrastructure and ⁠services.

"My ⁠building is uninhabitable and now I have nothing. It's just me and my son, ‌and I have no family in the country," said Suhayl Sarquiz, 50, who lost her job a few months ago.

The government confirmed 250 buildings damaged or destroyed. At least eight hospitals, the headquarters of the Venezuelan Red Cross and the French Embassy were among the buildings reported to have been badly damaged.

Electricity remained unavailable in parts of the state, while the Caracas airport was closed after sustaining damage. The Caracas Stock Exchange remained closed, turned into an aid collection centre.

The government of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, who took power after the United States captured her predecessor ‌in January, has pledged a massive deployment of assistance. State television showed images of her making a visit on Thursday to La Guaira.

Yet help was overall patchy on Friday, with authorities like firefighters, police, civil protection and the military on the streets in some places but absent or minimally present in others.

With foreign rescue teams arriving, firefighters, soldiers and distraught citizens combed through shattered buildings, some using bare hands and torches in places where power was down.

"He's under the slabs and there's no machinery to get him out," said Yamileth Jimenez of her 19-year-old son stuck in debris of their seven-storey apartment building in La Guaira city on the coast outside Caracas.

Venezuela earthquake before-and-after photos show 'catastrophic' destruction

IN PHOTOS | Aftermath of back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela

La Guaira, the coastal state adjoining ⁠Caracas and home to the nation's main airport, was among the hardest-hit areas. Streams of volunteers headed down the Caracas-La Guaira highway with water, food and medicine.

"We lost everything," said Pedro Perez, 64, an upholstery workshop owner who said he had lost both his home and business and was sleeping on the street with his wife and children.

"We hope help arrives quickly."

On Friday morning, Rodriguez said La Guaira state will be "militarized" to facilitate rescue work, and more than 2,300 tonnes of food had been distributed there.

"I want to thank the motorcyclists who have spontaneously offered their means of transport to bring water to the town that needs, and to deliver food,” she said.

Near ‌the epicentre in Morón, a seaside town in Carabobo state, houses crumpled and residents had no water or electricity. Families salvaged what they could, including mattresses, televisions and washing machines.

Canada among countries pledging help

Countries around the world pledged support, even some that have opposed Venezuela during decades of international isolation, political repression and economic deterioration under the ruling Socialist Party. Rodriguez took over as interim president when the U.S. seized her ally, the autocrat Nicolás Maduro, in January.

The United States said it was mobilizing $150 million ⁠in aid and easing sanctions to facilitate earthquake relief. The U.S. military dispatched two ships and said helicopters and aircraft would support search-and-rescue operations.

Canada said it would provide an initial $5 million in humanitarian aid to support life-saving assistance, including emergency food, water and health care.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Friday the government is working with its mission in Colombia to help the roughly 800 Canadians registered in Venezuela and is also in touch with the United Kingdom to look at working together on a humanitarian response.

Several countries including India and Switzerland sent in rescue teams and supplies. Mexico has sent 250 rescuers, El Salvador 188 and Spain nearly 100, and a Colombian air force plane carrying 63 rescue crew was on its way on Friday morning.

In Los Corales, 50 people from El Salvador's team were assessing the ruins of the ⁠three 10-storey-tall buildings which made up the Coral Mar complex, using drones, heat scanners and dogs to find out whether living survivors were still inside.

"People have told us they can hear people. They call ⁠them on the phone ⁠and they answer, and they can hear people screaming and calling," said Dr. Roberto Gavidia, the head of the team, which has also worked in Haiti and Turkey.

The team had yet to find any survivors.

UN ⁠aid chief Tom Fletcher said the organization was co-ordinating international rescue teams and "a massive collective effort" would be needed.

The UN's Venezuelan human rights mission urged the government to lift restrictions on some social media, calling connectivity a "matter of ⁠life and death."

SpaceX's Starlink said it would provide free service through July 25 for new and existing customers in affected areas and was working to deploy terminals to the hardest-hit zones to help restore communications.

Until now, the deadliest quake in Venezuela's modern history had been in 1967, killing 240 people.

With files from CBC News, The Associated Press and The Canadian Press