Tens of thousands of people were reported missing as collapsed buildings dotted cities in a country already enduring an economic crisis and political upheaval after US forces captured former president Nicolas Maduro in January.

Millions of people were also feared to lack sanitation and other basic needs.

Experts say the first 72 hours after natural disasters are the key, narrow window for finding the living. After that the search becomes one of recovering bodies.

A Salvadoran rescue worker who declined to give his name put it this way: "At this point, they are probably dead bodies. Thanks to God maybe we can find people still alive."

An 11-year-old boy was rescued from the rubble in Caraballeda, north of Caracas, on Saturday, three days after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors, interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said.

"Every life is a source of hope for Venezuela," she said in a post on X, accompanied by a video of the rescue.

Facing public outrage at the response by local officials, Rodriguez thanked other countries for the outpouring of aid.

Twenty-four countries have sent 521 tonnes of supplies, 86 units with dogs trained to locate people trapped beneath the rubble and more than 2,700 search-and-rescue personnel, she said.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that the death toll could continue to soar, adding that more than 50,000 people were missing.

The search for survivors saw desperate attempts by local residents to claw away rubble from buildings that collapsed in Wednesday's two quakes.

"It's just very chaotic, hot and unorganized," said Australian firefighter Craig Demeillon, 43, who traveled alone to La Guaira from Miami to help. "Hopefully there's more people to find."

On Sunday, Pope Leo expressed solidarity with people in Venezuela grappling with the devastating impact of twin earthquakes that struck the country earlier this week.

"I wish to express my closeness to the Venezuelan sisters and brothers affected by the recent earthquakes that caused numerous victims and injuries," the pontiff said in Spanish before worshippers gathered for Sunday's Angelus prayer in Rome.

Before becoming pope, Leo spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru, a Spanish-speaking country. He is planning a major tour of southern Latin America in November that is expected to include Peru, Argentina and Uruguay.

The pontiff also expressed gratitude to rescuers and all those assisting Venezuelans in the aftermath of the disaster.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a post on X that the European Union had mobilised 5 million euros ($5.9 million) in emergency assistance for affected communities in Venezuela.

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