Desperation mounts as quake toll rises to 1,430 in Venezuela

The death toll of Venezuela's earthquakes rose to 1,430 on Saturday, officials said.

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The latest figures were released as rescuers continued the search for survivors of the one-two punch of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that devastated the South American nation three days earlier.

Families had reported at least 68,900 people missing as of Saturday morning.

Venezuelans looking for loved ones and neighbours used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands atop mounds of toppled concrete throughout La Guaira, one of Venezuela’s hardest-hit states.

Most of those digging were civilians who took search efforts into their own hands, and tensions spiked over an inadequate response from the Venezuelan government, whose soldiers, firefighters, police and military cadets were evidently underprepared to respond to the tragedy.

Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours as crucial for retrieving people alive, though that can be extended if they have access to food and water. Most of those digging were civilians who took search efforts into their own hands, citing the lack of state presence.

However, a growing number of international rescue teams were joining the effort to save lives nearly 72 hours after the quake.