Rescue teams from Venezuela and several foreign countries continued searching for survivors on Sunday after two powerful earthquakes devastated large parts of the country, with the official death toll climbing above 1,450 as hopes of finding more people alive steadily faded.

Emergency experts say the first 72 hours after a major earthquake offer the best chance of rescuing survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. That critical period has now passed, shifting many operations toward recovering bodies while rescue crews continue to search for signs of life.

A rare success came in the coastal town of Caraballeda, about 40 kilometres north of Caracas, where French and American rescue teams pulled a man and his teenage son alive from the rubble. The rescue offered encouragement to exhausted emergency workers and grieving families still waiting for news of missing relatives.

The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing widespread destruction across the capital and nearby coastal areas. According to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, 774 buildings suffered major damage, including 189 structures that completely collapsed.

Rodríguez said 1,450 people had been confirmed dead and more than 3,150 injured, warning that the number of fatalities was expected to rise as rescue operations continued. Tens of thousands of people also remain unaccounted for.

In the heavily damaged city of La Guaira, residents continued digging through debris with shovels and their bare hands in search of relatives. Hector Aguilera said four members of his family remained trapped beneath a collapsed building.

“We don’t have the support to get our family out. We can’t do it alone. They are buried there, we know they are dead, but here we are,” he said.

Volunteers worked alongside emergency crews in several neighborhoods of Caracas, removing rubble by hand while rescue dogs searched damaged buildings. In the Chacao district, large electronic billboards displayed photographs of missing people in an effort to reunite families.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez praised rescue workers and insisted the search would continue despite the diminishing chances of finding survivors.

“Today we have rescued people who are still alive and therefore these efforts will not be suspended,” she said. “We always hold onto hope.”

International assistance has continued to arrive. Rodríguez said 24 countries have sent more than 2,700 rescue personnel, dozens of trained search dogs and over 500 tonnes of humanitarian supplies. The United States has also deployed additional military personnel to help restore airport operations and reopen a key seaport for aid deliveries.

The disaster has also triggered security concerns, with reports of looting in parts of La Guaira as residents complained about delays in receiving food, water and emergency assistance.

The United Nations estimates that nearly 6.8 million people could require humanitarian aid, including shelter, healthcare, clean water and sanitation, while physical damage is estimated at about $6.7 billion, placing additional strain on a country already struggling with years of economic hardship.

France has recorded around 1,000 more deaths than expected since a record-breaking heatwave swept across the country, placing hospitals and emergency services under intense pressure as temperatures climbed above 40 degrees Celsius in several regions.

Public Health France said on Sunday that preliminary figures showed a sharp rise in fatalities since June 24, when the extreme heat began affecting much of the country.

“Since June 24, approximately 1,000 additional deaths have been observed compared to the deaths recorded in previous months,” the agency said, noting that the figures remain provisional and could be revised.

Authorities said the hardest-hit areas were those placed under the highest red-level heat alert, including Île-de-France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Brittany, Centre-Val de Loire, Normandy and Pays de la Loire. Around 85 percent of the reported deaths involved people aged 65 and older, highlighting the particular danger extreme temperatures pose to elderly residents.

The heatwave has stretched healthcare services, with hospitals and emergency responders dealing with a surge in callouts throughout the week. More than 30 French departments remained under red heat alerts for several days as temperatures continued to climb.

France also recorded its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with the nationwide average temperature reaching 30 degrees Celsius over a 24-hour period.

In Paris, officials introduced emergency measures to reduce pressure on public services. Authorities banned the public consumption of alcohol over the weekend and postponed the city’s annual Pride March because of the dangerous weather conditions.

Major tourist attractions, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, also reduced operating hours as officials sought to protect visitors and staff from the extreme heat.

Thousands of residents sought relief by gathering in parks and along canals across the capital. Officials, however, warned against swimming in unsupervised areas after a man drowned in the Canal Saint-Martin on Friday night.

Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire urged residents to follow safety advice.

“We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: swimming outside the times when supervised swimming is permitted, and outside the supervised areas, is dangerous,” he wrote on social media platform X.

The heatwave also claimed the life of 21-year-old Ligue 2 footballer Kenzo Kies, who reportedly drowned in the Rhône River.

His club, Guingamp, expressed its sorrow in a statement, extending its condolences to his family and loved ones.

Weather forecasts indicate temperatures have begun to ease in some parts of France, but health officials continue to urge vulnerable people to remain indoors during the hottest parts of the day, stay hydrated and check regularly on elderly relatives and neighbours as the country recovers from one of its most severe heatwaves in recent history.