Death Toll Rises to 589 After Twin Earthquakes Devastate Venezuela

At least 589 people have died and nearly 3,000 have been injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within a minute of each other late on Wednesday, according to Acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

Rescue operations are continuing across Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira, where the destruction has been most severe. International assistance has begun to arrive, with rescue teams from Switzerland and Mexico joining local emergency workers searching for survivors beneath collapsed buildings. In Caracas, rescuers pulled a woman alive from the rubble, offering hope to families still waiting for news of missing relatives. 

"My heart tells me my brother is alive," Marianella told BBC News Mundo as she searched for her relative.

Hospitals in La Guaira are struggling to cope with the large number of casualties. A doctor at one of the city's hospitals said medical staff were overwhelmed and facing a critical shortage of supplies, adding further pressure to a healthcare system already under strain.

The earthquakes measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude and struck just one minute apart. The second was the strongest earthquake recorded in Venezuela since 1900. The tremors caused widespread damage, reducing apartment blocks, shopping centres and public buildings to rubble.

Among the victims was the wife of Venezuelan footballer Héctor Bello. According to Bello, Andrea died while protecting their young daughter during the earthquake. In messages shared online, he said he would one day tell their child that her mother gave her life to save her.

In La Guaira, Natacha Diaz has been waiting for news of her daughters, aged 22 and 23, who were working in a shopping centre when it collapsed. Standing beside the ruins, she said, "I just want them back with me. They are all I have."