Venezuela on Alert After Two Devastating Earthquakes, Search Efforts Continue Amid Reports of More Than 50,000 Missing

After two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, the country remains in shock from the disaster, as relatives and neighbors dig through the rubble in search of their loved ones.

Venezuelan Health Minister Carlos Alvarado told state media that at least 235 deaths and 4,300 injuries have been confirmed so far.

“Unfortunately, 235 people arrived without vital signs or died after arriving at our health facilities,” Alvarado said.

Authorities fear the death toll could rise even further, as more than 50,000 people are reported missing.

On Thursday morning, Venezuelans were confronted with apocalyptic scenes: buildings reduced to piles of rubble, furniture hanging from windows, and helicopters flying over the affected areas. Entire buildings have collapsed, while many roads have split in half.

Meanwhile, family members are posting photographs of their relatives on a missing persons website, while others are circulating handwritten lists of names during the search. Venezuelans outside the country are also trying to contact their loved ones amid disruptions to phone service nationwide.

At the same time, search-and-rescue teams are rushing to the affected areas, where operations are being carried out under difficult conditions and amid fears that many people may still be trapped.

These two earthquakes are considered among the strongest recorded in Venezuela in more than a century. The tremors were felt across much of the region, and because of them, buildings were also evacuated in parts of the Amazon in Brazil.

Because of the scale of the disaster, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the temporary suspension of some sanctions until October 23.

According to the announcement, the decision is intended to allow transactions related to humanitarian aid and rehabilitation operations in Venezuela, which would otherwise be prohibited under the current sanctions regime.