At least 1,700 confirmed dead in Venezuela quake

Local and international rescue teams raced against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble in Venezuela on Monday, five days after two powerful earthquakes shook the northern state of La Guaira.

Jorge Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly, on Monday reported 1,719 deaths and that 10,000 volunteers are now organized under the officials' plan to continue the rescue and recovery work.

The government has faced growing criticism from Venezuelans that its response was inadequate and overshadowed by civilian-led efforts to rescue people buried under collapsed buildings.

Thousands more have been reported missing.

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.

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Sunday night that even as the threshold passed, the search for survivors would continue.

Grian Rochburn was about to take a shower when Wednesday's double earthquake struck in La Guaira, Venezuela.

Grian, his son, and mother Ingrid tried to wait out the quake in their flat but the shaking was so violent that the walls caved in and they "fell into a hole" according to Grian.

He said although the family was buried, he started digging upwards through the rubble. After 40 minutes of effort he saw a chink of light and was able to free both himself and his son. But his 71-year-old mother Ingrid remained trapped between two collapsed walls.

Grian said a passerby came to their rescue, helping him pull up the wall which was trapping his mother who by this time was unconscious. The man, Angel, began digging to free Ingrid from the rubble as Grian filmed her recovery.