Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - Anger is growing in Venezuela as the death toll from the twin earthquakes has climbed to 1,430, with survivors accusing some outsiders of arriving to take selfies instead of helping rescue efforts. Officials say 3,238 people have been injured and tens of thousands remain missing, while rescue teams continue searching collapsed buildings across the worst-hit areas.

The hardest-hit zone remains La Guaira, near Caracas, where the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes flattened buildings, left neighborhoods without basic services and forced families to sleep outdoors amid fear of aftershocks. Local residents have described a chaotic scene, with emergency crews, volunteers and relatives digging through rubble by hand, while some people allegedly arrived only to film or pose for photos at disaster sites. The frustration has been intensified by slow relief, shortages of food, water and sanitation, and the growing sense that authorities and aid groups are struggling to keep pace with the scale of destruction.

International assistance is now increasing, with U.S. aid flights arriving and the United Nations warning that up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster. The UN has said the quake has caused about $6.7 billion in physical damage, while Venezuela’s government says more than 430 aftershocks have been recorded since the disaster began. Even as rescue teams continue searching for survivors, many families say they are still waiting for news of missing relatives and fear the final toll will be far higher.

For many Venezuelans, the disaster has become not only a rescue emergency but also a test of dignity, trust and response. With the death toll already at 1,430 and thousands still unaccounted for, the country faces a prolonged humanitarian crisis that is far from over.