Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes rises to 1,430 as golden-hour window closes

The death toll from a series of powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has surpassed 1,400 in just three days.

National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodriguez said the earthquakes that struck on Wednesday had killed 1,430 people, according to AP and other news agencies on Saturday (local time). That figure represents a jump of more than 500 from the 920 deaths recorded the previous day. The number of injured also rose to 3,238. Both figures are expected to climb significantly in the coming days. As of Saturday morning, families had reported at least 68,900 people missing.

The earthquakes — measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 — struck in quick succession along Venezuela's northern Caribbean coast on Wednesday.

As the 72-hour window widely considered the golden hour for rescuing survivors draws to a close, Venezuelan authorities, international relief teams and ordinary citizens are racing to find anyone still alive beneath the rubble.