LA GUAIRA — Twin earthquakes in Venezuela have resulted in at least 1,700 fatalities. International search and rescue operations are ongoing, with UK International Search and Rescue teams working alongside local entities in the affected areas.

The critical 96-hour period for finding survivors ended on Sunday evening. Despite this, Lee Ivory, deputy national coordinator for UK International Search and Rescue, stated, "Rescuers continue to conduct searches to the same level of detail as on day one."

Search efforts involve specialized equipment and trained animals. Specially-trained search dogs are utilized to detect potential victims. These dogs can identify a person's scent even when buried up to 10 meters (32.8 feet) under rubble. They are trained using toys embedded with human scent and receive a toy as a reward from their handler when they locate a human.

Sakthy Selvakumaran, a member of Search and Rescue Assistance in Disasters, said, "Search dogs can find hard-to-navigate paths through rubble to follow a scent or identify different access points to the victim." Rescuers also shout into rubble to listen for any responses from trapped individuals. Seismic and acoustic listening devices, which resemble small pots or cans on wires connected to other devices, are employed to locate survivors. Ivory said these devices are sensitive enough to pick up minute sounds: "If someone was just scratching on a bit of concrete, we'd be able to pick that up, even if they are entombed in the building."

Technical search cameras are inserted into hard-to-access holes to search for people. Some of these cameras consist of small pods on long sticks, offering a 360-degree view that can be recorded and viewed remotely. Video cameras integrated into these systems allow rescuers to communicate with casualties. Additionally, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher confirmed that micro drones are being used on the ground.

Thermal imaging equipment helps locate people not directly visible to rescuers. This technology detects body heat, enabling rescuers to see through some types of walls after a trapped person's body heat warms the surrounding rubble. For technical rescues, tools such as disk cutters, saws, and handheld angle grinders are used. Some rescue teams carry diesel generators to power their equipment, and local teams often coordinate access to heavy machinery like bulldozers, diggers, and cranes for shifting large amounts of debris to find trapped individuals.