Desperate Venezuelans and rescue teams rushed to find survivors as the death toll from twin earthquakes rose above 900, with foreign rescue teams and aid finally reaching devastated areas nearly two days after the quakes.
The government reported 172 people trapped, 920 dead, and 3,360 injured, while a website listed over 50,000 people reported missing.
Frustration mounted over scarce equipment and uneven state support for the rescue effort, with Moron town still without electricity and buildings reduced to rubble.
Foreign rescue teams, including those from countries at odds with Venezuela, began arriving, with the U.S. mobilizing $150 million in aid and easing sanctions.
Rescue teams used drones, heat scanners, and dogs to locate survivors, with some reporting hearing people screaming and calling for help.
The quakes struck a nation already weakened by economic and political turmoil, with millions abroad and infrastructure weakened.
The U.N. estimated direct damage at $6.7 billion, with the gap between economic and insured losses expected to be large.
