The death toll from the Venezuelan earthquakes has risen to 920, with more than 50,000 missing.

The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to 920, with nearly 3,000 injured, according to official authorities on Friday. Search and rescue operations are continuing amid fears that the number of victims could rise significantly, as more than 50,000 people remain missing.

Fears are growing that the humanitarian disaster will worsen, after the US Geological Survey predicted that the death toll would exceed 10,000 people, while the World Health Organization described the first hours after the earthquake as "critical" for saving lives, as more international rescue teams arrived in the capital, Caracas.

Venezuelan President: We will continue searching for those trapped without stopping.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodriguez confirmed that rescue teams are continuing their operations without interruption to reach those trapped under the rubble, stressing that the government is making every possible effort to rescue those stranded.

She explained that the state of La Guaira was the most affected by the two earthquakes, which measured 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, noting that military measures were imposed in the state to secure search and rescue operations and the distribution of humanitarian and food aid.

United Nations: More than 50,000 missing and the disaster is likely to worsen

For his part, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, announced that the number of missing persons has exceeded 50,000, stressing that rescue teams are facing a huge task in searching among the rubble.

Fletcher warned that the death toll was likely to rise significantly in the coming days, as satellite images showed widespread destruction after entire neighborhoods and buildings collapsed due to the force of the two earthquakes.

US forecasts: The death toll could exceed 10,000

In an initial assessment of the scale of the disaster, the U.S. Geological Survey predicted that the death toll would exceed 10,000, while a website dedicated to tracking the missing, launched by Venezuelan opposition leaders, indicated that some 49,500 people were still missing.

Local and international rescue teams continue to pull hundreds of survivors from under the rubble, while the search for thousands more is accelerating as specialized teams from around the world continue to arrive.

World Health Organization: The first 72 hours are crucial for saving lives

The World Health Organization's director of health emergencies, Ciro Ugarte, stressed during a press conference in Geneva that the first 72 hours after the two earthquakes represent the most important opportunity to save as many lives as possible.

He noted that Venezuela is in dire need of urgent medical supplies and extensive health support, given the fragility of its health system and the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the country has been experiencing for years.

Broad international support and the start of aid flow

The international response to the disaster continues, with Chinese President Xi Jinping announcing his country's readiness to contribute to relief and reconstruction efforts.

In the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the dispatch of American rescue teams, while the Pentagon will provide logistical support and operate the damaged Caracas airport.

The U.S. Treasury Department also issued a license allowing all transactions related to relief operations in Venezuela until October 23, following the easing of some restrictions on the country to facilitate access to humanitarian aid.

Washington announced it would allocate $150 million to support relief efforts, including $50 million for local humanitarian organizations and $100 million for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in addition to sending two warships, transport planes and helicopters to provide logistical support.

Qatari air bridge and international participation in rescue operations

As part of international efforts, Qatar launched an air bridge to Venezuela carrying specialized teams from the Qatari International Search and Rescue Group of the Internal Security Force, in addition to field hospitals, medical teams and large shipments of humanitarian aid.

Rescue teams from Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Italy, Mexico and Switzerland have already arrived, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Other countries, including Jordan, Spain, France, Britain, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany and the Netherlands, announced they would send specialized teams and equipment to participate in search and rescue operations, following the two earthquakes that struck west of the capital Caracas last Wednesday, about 160 kilometers away.