Venezuela quake toll passes 1,700 as aftershock hits near Caracas

Caracas: The death toll from last week's twin earthquakes in Venezuela has climbed to more than 1,700, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday, as rescue teams pressed on with search operations in the worst-affected areas.

Rodriguez said in an address on state television that more than 5,000 people were injured in the disaster and over 15,000 were left without homes. He also said on social media that no immediate damage was reported after an aftershock early on Monday.

Residents in Caracas were shaken awake by the tremor as emergency crews continued a fourth straight day of round-the-clock rescue work following the powerful earthquakes that struck on Wednesday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the aftershock measured 4.6 in magnitude and was centred north of the Venezuelan capital at a depth of 10 kilometres, or about 6 miles.

Rescue activity has been concentrated particularly in La Guaira, identified as the hardest-hit state in a country already dealing with a prolonged political and economic crisis. Wednesday's twin earthquakes have left close to 1,500 people confirmed dead and caused hundreds of buildings to collapse.

International aid and rescue support

Venezuelan authorities said the international response has brought assistance from 24 countries since the disaster. According to the authorities, those countries have sent more than 500 metric tons of supplies, over 2,700 rescue and support personnel, and about 86 canine teams.

National and foreign rescue teams continued working through the night as relatives of those still missing waited for signs that more survivors might be found in the rubble.

Rescue reported in La Guaira

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele shared details of the rescue of 21-year-old Aaron Levi from a collapsed building in La Guaira, one of the areas devastated by the earthquakes.

Bukele said on X that the operation involved teams from three countries. Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, also referred to Levi's rescue and said he was pulled from beneath the debris after spending 106 hours trapped. She added that the rescue operation itself lasted 43 hours.

The latest figures announced on Monday point to a further rise in the number of casualties from the twin earthquakes, even as authorities and rescue workers continue efforts in affected communities.