Four days after twin earthquakes hit Venezuela, rescue crews are entering the narrow window in which survivors can still be found alive under collapsed buildings.
The reported toll is already severe: 1,450 people dead and nearly 69,000 missing. Residents and volunteers working at damaged sites say they feel abandoned by the government as they dig through rubble and search for signs of life.
People are still searching for survivors as time runs short
The immediate priority remains rescue, not reconstruction. Volunteers and local residents are racing against time in areas where people may still be trapped beneath debris.
The scale of the missing-person figure suggests the final death toll could rise substantially. For now, the numbers are grim enough without political embroidery.
Anger is turning toward the government
Residents and volunteers quoted in the report say government support has not matched the urgency on the ground. Their criticism centers on a basic claim: people searching for survivors do not believe they are getting the help they need.
