Venezuela is grappling with its most severe natural disaster in over a century following two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, which struck within minutes of each other, causing widespread devastation. The quakes have resulted in at least 920 fatalities, with over 50,000 people reported missing and an additional 3,360 injured, according to government and UN reports. The epicenter of the disaster was near the coastal area of La Gueira, where numerous buildings collapsed, and most deaths occurred. International aid and rescue teams, including approximately 800 rescuers from the Costa Rican Red Cross and US personnel, have been deployed to assist in search and rescue operations, with the US pledging $150 million in aid and easing sanctions. However, a significant point of contention has emerged regarding the delayed deployment and perceived inaction of Venezuela's own military forces in the crucial initial hours following the disaster, leading residents to question the government's emergency response capacity and the impact of former leader Chávez's "internal enemy" doctrine on the military's role in serving citizens.

Venezuela is grappling with its most severe natural disaster in over a century following two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, which struck within minutes of each other, causing widespread devastation. The quakes have resulted in at least 920 fatalities, with over 50,000 people reported missing and an additional 3,360 injured, according to government and UN reports. The epicenter of the disaster was near the coastal area of La Gueira, where numerous buildings collapsed, and most deaths occurred. International aid and rescue teams, including approximately 800 rescuers from the Costa Rican Red Cross and US personnel, have been deployed to assist in search and rescue operations, with the US pledging $150 million in aid and easing sanctions. However, a significant point of contention has emerged regarding the delayed deployment and perceived inaction of Venezuela's own military forces in the crucial initial hours following the disaster, leading residents to question the government's emergency response capacity and the impact of former leader Chávez's "internal enemy" doctrine on the military's role in serving citizens.

Venezuela is grappling with its most severe natural disaster in over a century following two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, which struck within minutes of each other, causing widespread devastation. The quakes have resulted in at least 920 fatalities, with over 50,000 people reported missing and an additional 3,360 injured, according to government and UN reports. The epicenter of the disaster was near the coastal area of La Gueira, where numerous buildings collapsed, and most deaths occurred. International aid and rescue teams, including approximately 800 rescuers from the Costa Rican Red Cross and US personnel, have been deployed to assist in search and rescue operations, with the US pledging $150 million in aid and easing sanctions. However, a significant point of contention has emerged regarding the delayed deployment and perceived inaction of Venezuela's own military forces in the crucial initial hours following the disaster, leading residents to question the government's emergency response capacity and the impact of former leader Chávez's "internal enemy" doctrine on the military's role in serving citizens.

Venezuela faced one of the country’s worst natural disasters in over a century on Wednesday. The double earthquakes with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 have resulted in the deaths of at least 920 people.

Countries and international relief organisations are pouring in relief to the country to aid the victims of the disaster. International rescue teams are also trying to push the search for survivors.

The government of Venezuela said that at least 172 persons were trapped and 3,360 were injured.

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher told AFP that more than 50,000 people were missing after two powerful earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, flattening buildings in the north of the country.

As of now, the Costa Rican Red Cross, with about 800 rescuers have arrived in Venezuela to aid the search and rescue. U.S. President Donald Trump also confirmed that there were US personnel on the ground collaborating with the emergency response. The US announced it would mobilize $150 million in aid and ease sanctions, while the U.S. military sent two ships and said helicopters and planes would support rescue efforts.

Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, met with US officials on Friday to coordinate earthquake relief efforts.

Meanwhile, Venezuelans have been questioning the lack of presence of the militia that was present during former leader Chavez’s regime.

Many residents of the most affected areas questioned why there were no military personnel during rescue efforts during the first 24 hours.

Residents resorted to moving rubble with their hands to search for survivors, while the military deployment, announced by interim president Rodríguez, was delayed by a whole day. International rescue teams had already arrived on the ground by then.

Zair Mundaray, a criminal lawyer and criminologist, who spoke to La Noche de NTN24, said, "This painful situation is not an isolated incident; this was devised by Chávez, the doctrine of the internal enemy. The military and police forces do not understand that their reason for existence is to serve the citizens."

"They (the force) see the citizen as an internal enemy; now that their help is required, something that is stipulated in the Constitution, they are incapable of doing it," he said.

Residents report that when they managed to rescue survivors, they were not transported in official ambulances but taken to the hospital in private vehicles of relatives and neighbours.

The military was seen helping move traffic and patrolling the streets, but not helping the residents move debris or assisting the search for survivors, the New York Times reported.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado spoke about the "regime's lack of capacity to respond to emergencies” in a televised interview.

The quake struck the coastal area of La Gueira near the capital Caracas the worst. Multiple buildings crumbled to the ground after the quake. Most of the deaths were also recorded in La Gueira.

Experts said that the disaster was caused by a phenomenon known as a "seismic doublet", which results in two powerful consecutive earthquakes.

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