The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday has crossed 1,500, as rescuers race against time to save people trapped under the debris with limited resources, officials said on Monday.
Dozens of high-rise buildings collapsed into piles of sand and rubble in the coastal region, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Caracas.
"Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. Teams on Sunday and early Monday recovered dozens of people alive from the debris despite the passage of the 72-hour window," officials said.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez on Sunday said the government would assess the structural safety of buildings to determine whether they are fit for habitation and to prevent future tragedies.
Accompanied by her ministers, she said schools in the affected areas would remain suspended for another week. She also said electricity had been restored to nearly 75 per cent in the affected areas.
Earlier, Jorge Rodríguez, the acting president’s brother and president of the National Assembly, said the death toll rose by 20 on Sunday to reach 1,450. He said 3,150 people remained injured, 12,721 had been displaced and 774 buildings had collapsed.
"We are in crucial hours to continue rescuing survivors and setting up camps for people who have lost their homes or are unable to return to them for any reason," he said.
The US Geological Survey estimated that the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes could claim more than 10,000 lives, making them among the deadliest earthquakes in Latin America over the past century.
"There exists a window of roughly three days, or 72 hours, after which the chances of rescuing people alive decrease significantly," said Sebastian Eugster, leader of the Swiss rescue team.
Also read: Venezuela quakes deaths rise to 1,430
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