LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (AP) 鈥� Local and international rescue teams raced against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble in on Sunday, four days after shook the northern state of La Guaira.
The government reported 1,450 dead from the quakes Sunday afternoon as it faced growing criticism from Venezuelans that its response was inadequate and to rescue people buried under .
Thousands have been reported missing, according to multiple databases used by families searching for loved ones.
Even as the likelihood of finding people alive diminished with each passing hour, rescuers continued to free some survivors from mountains of debris, offering anguished families a sliver of hope. The first 48 to 72 hours after a natural disaster are crucial to rescue efforts, though survival can be extended if people have access to food and water.
More than 2,600 rescue workers from around the world had arrived by Sunday, the government said, noting that crews were being supported in their efforts by nearly 140 specially trained dogs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been incredibly hard work, but we鈥檙e going strong,鈥� said Jason Mercano, a civilian who was able to communicate with family buried under the rubble via social media.
鈥淲e’ve never given up hope,鈥� he added.
Masses of people gathered to watch as rescue crews from the U.S. and France pulled a man and his son from the ruins Sunday morning and carried them carefully on a black tarp into an ambulance.
More than 770 buildings partially or totally collapsed
Still, many Venezuelans are struggling to hold onto hope in an increasingly desperate situation. The that hit last Wednesday have left a trail of devastation.
A layer of dust coated coastal communities, and as the stench of decomposing bodies spread, more people began to wear masks.
Authorities said Sunday that more than 770 buildings had totally or partially collapsed from the earthquakes, twice as many as were reported destroyed or damaged on Friday. The risk of further damage remains as aftershocks continued to shake Venezuela; quakes measuring 4.2 and 4.5 hit Sunday morning.
Many living in disaster zones said they had seen little sign of their government since the quakes. But rescue efforts in La Guaira 鈥� the hardest-hit area 鈥� appeared significantly more organized on Sunday as international rescue missions arrived en masse. In previous days, residents there had expressed frustration and anger about the level of response.
The government reported on state television that more than 14,000 members of the military and police are now patrolling La Guaira state, where access is blocked and special permits are required to enter.
Because of the chaos and shoddy cellphone service since the earthquakes, many Venezuelans have turned to non-governmental digital databases to report their loved ones as missing. More than 50,000 people were reported missing on one such database, though it is unclear how many have been found.
A man’s family anxiously watches rescue effort
In the seaside city of Catia La Mar, Venezuelan rescue teams called down to survivors after discovering signs of life. They shouted instructions to a man whose family watched anxiously as crews discussed how to bring him to safety.
Despite the overwhelming demand for medical services and the shortage of supplies in Venezuela鈥檚 public health system, Domingo Luciani Hospital in the capital of Caracas coped with an influx of patients thanks to a flood of donations.
鈥淲e have tons of patients, but thank god, people have responded by bringing us a great deal of supplies,鈥� said Leomery P茅rez, an anesthesiologist at the hospital.
Authorities said they had treated more than 3,100 wounded people, including many with crush injuries.
A big challenge for Venezuela’s acting president
The disaster poses a significant challenge for acting President Delcy , the former vice president who took office in January after the U.S. capture and removal of then-President .
Since then, the U.S. government has played in increasingly powerful role in dictating the future of the South American nation. Venezuela has faced for more than a decade, and many people reject the legitimacy of .
The country now faces an even more difficult circumstances, said Ronal 搁辞诲谤铆驳耻别锄, researcher for the Bogot谩-based Venezuelan Observatory at the University of Rosario.
鈥淭here is political interference by the United States, the operational incompetence of a government that has driven the country into a complex humanitarian crisis and, all of the sudden, an earthquake in a place that lacks human capital and short-term resources to address the situation,鈥� he said.
The U.N. migration agency said up to 6.8 million people may be affected by the earthquakes. The International Organization for Migration said it was working with the Venezuelan government, the United Nations and humanitarian groups on a coordinated response.
鈥淚t is already clear that displacement will increase, as people seek safety,鈥� said Amy Pope, director general.
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Janetsky reported from Mexico City. Associated Press journalists Andry Rinc贸n, Fernando Vergara and Mat铆as Delacroix in La Guaira, Venezuela; Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela; Clara Preve in Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Elliot Spagat in San Diego, contributed to this report.
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