By ReutersPublished On 29 Jun 202629 Jun 2026Rescue workers and volunteers have been scrambling to reach survivors since back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday, killing more than 1,400 people and causing widespread destruction in the capital, Caracas, and the adjoining coastal state of La Guaira.But amid the death and destruction, a few fleeting moments have brought cheer to Venezuelans and millions of people around the world.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listWhat is the state of the rescue efforts?Foreign rescue teams have poured into La Guaira, the hardest-hit state about 40km (25 miles) north of Caracas, where dozens of buildings collapsed into piles of sand and rubble.“Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. Today, we have recovered people alive, and therefore, operations are not being suspended. We always maintain hope,” interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday after announcing a presidential commission would determine the habitability of buildings.Flanked by several of her ministers, Rodriguez said classes would be suspended at schools for one more week and the electricity supply in La Guaira had been restored to 75 percent.Venezuela has been enmeshed in a deep political and economic crises for years.The government – headed by Rodriguez since her predecessor Nicolas Maduro was abducted by the US military in January – thanked civilian volunteers ferrying aid to La Guaira but then tightened access to the road, saying traffic was preventing the efficient movement of emergency vehicles.Earlier, Jorge Rodriguez, the acting president’s brother and president of the National Assembly, said the death toll rose by 20 people on Sunday to reach 1,450. He added that 3,150 people were injured and 12,721 had been displaced. At least 774 buildings had collapsed, he added. Advertisement Five heartwarming momentsHere are five incidents during the rescue efforts – from the global sol …
