Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Nears 1,500 as Rescue Window Closes

The critical 72-hour window for finding survivors of the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has closed, with the death toll surpassing 1,450 and nearly 200 buildings completely collapsed. International rescue teams from the United States, Mexico, and France continue efforts, but hopes fade for tens of thousands still missing. On Sunday, a man and his teenage son were rescued alive from rubble in Caraballeda, about 40km north of Caracas, by French and American teams. The back-to-back quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck on Wednesday evening, damaging 774 buildings, including 189 total collapses, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez. Millions lack sanitation and basic needs in one of Latin America's most devastating earthquake disasters, compounding an existing economic crisis.