Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Nears 5,000 as Tens of Thousands Remain Missing

United Nations estimates 50,000 people are unaccounted for, with rescuers shifting focus toward rebuilding

The confirmed death toll from the earthquake that struck Venezuela has climbed to nearly 5,000, according to Al Jazeera.

The United Nations estimates that roughly 50,000 people remain missing, with officials warning that many more victims are feared buried under rubble. As search efforts continue, attention in the disaster zone is increasingly turning toward the long process of rebuilding.

The scale of the disaster underscores the difficulty facing Venezuelan authorities and international relief agencies as they work to account for the missing while beginning to restore damaged communities.

— Compiled from reporting by Al Jazeera.