The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to more than 1,700, as emergency responders continue search-and-rescue operations in the country’s worst seismic disaster in decades.

Authorities said hundreds of buildings, including residential apartments, schools, hospitals and public facilities, either collapsed or suffered extensive structural damage following the powerful earthquakes, which measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude and struck within seconds of each other on June 24. The hardest-hit areas include the coastal state of La Guaira and parts of the capital, Caracas.

Government officials said thousands of people have also been injured, while tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes. Temporary shelters have been established for affected families as humanitarian agencies work alongside local authorities to provide food, medical care, clean water and other emergency supplies.

Search-and-rescue teams from several countries remain on the ground, using heavy equipment, rescue dogs and specialised technology to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures. Despite fading hopes, rescuers have continued to pull some survivors from the rubble days after the disaster, offering moments of hope amid the widespread devastation.

The disaster has also sparked scrutiny of Venezuela’s building standards, with engineers pointing to weak construction practices, inadequate enforcement of building regulations and unstable ground conditions as key factors that contributed to the scale of the destruction. Experts have called for comprehensive structural assessments of surviving buildings to prevent further loss of life.

International aid has begun arriving from multiple countries and humanitarian organisations, while governments and relief agencies continue to coordinate assistance for those affected. Authorities have warned that aftershocks remain possible and urged residents to avoid damaged buildings until safety inspections are completed.

Rescue operations are expected to continue in the coming days as officials work to account for those still missing and assess the full extent of the destruction caused by the catastrophic earthquakes.