Race Against Time in Venezuela as Reinforcements Join Earthquake Rescue Effort

International search-and-rescue teams have continued arriving in Venezuela to support efforts following the country’s devastating twin earthquakes, but hopes of finding more survivors are rapidly fading as the critical rescue window closes.
Emergency crews from several countries, supported by specially trained rescue dogs, heavy equipment and medical personnel, have joined thousands of local responders combing through the rubble in the hardest-hit areas, including the coastal state of La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Despite the growing international response, rescuers acknowledge that the chances of locating people alive diminish significantly with each passing hour.
Authorities say more than 1,400 people have been confirmed dead, while thousands remain injured and tens of thousands are still unaccounted for. Hundreds of buildings collapsed or suffered severe structural damage after the powerful earthquakes struck last week, leaving entire communities in ruins.
Even as optimism fades, rescue teams have continued to deliver moments of hope. Over the weekend, emergency workers pulled several survivors from beneath collapsed buildings, including a father and his son who had been trapped under concrete for four days. Such rescues have encouraged teams to press on despite the overwhelming challenges.
Residents have also joined the search, many using their bare hands to dig through debris while waiting for heavy machinery to reach devastated neighbourhoods. Some families have remained at collapsed buildings for days, refusing to leave in the hope that loved ones may still be found alive.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that the disaster is creating an increasingly urgent need for shelter, clean water, food supplies and medical assistance. With thousands displaced and critical infrastructure damaged, relief organisations say recovery efforts are likely to continue for months after rescue operations end.
While the focus remains on locating anyone still trapped beneath the rubble, officials and aid workers concede that the mission is gradually shifting from rescue to recovery. Nevertheless, emergency teams insist they will continue searching until every reasonable possibility of finding survivors has been exhausted.

Source BBC NEWS