A series of powerful earthquakes in Venezuela has left at least 1,450 people dead, with the families of two professional soccer players among the victims, according to reports.
Argentinian footballer Lucas Trejo, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo of La Guaira, lost his wife, Yanina, and their two children, Aaron and Ainhoa.
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Trejo was training in Caracas when the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck.
He immediately traveled to the coastal city of La Guaira, which suffered the worst damage, but found his home completely destroyed.
His brother-in-law, Ricardo Ardiles, said Trejo spent three days searching through the rubble before rescue teams recovered the bodies of his family.
Another local player, Héctor Bello, lost his wife, Andrea, who died while protecting their infant daughter during the collapse of their home.
Emergency workers later found the child, Alana, alive and in stable condition with her aunt.
Bello, who was away from home during the disaster, expressed his grief online.
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"You gave your own life for our daughter … you were a brave woman who never abandoned her, even as you took your last breaths," he wrote in an Instagram post.
Youth Players Also Killed
Venezuelan football officials confirmed that the catastrophe also claimed the lives of youth players Victor Palacios and Razan Sijaa.
Palacios was a member of the Club Sport San Augustín academy, while Sijaa played for Caracas Fútbol Club and died alongside his family in their La Guaira home.
The critical 72-hour window for finding survivors closed on Saturday, according to Sebastian Eugster, leader of the Swiss rescue team.
The US Geological Survey estimates the total death toll could eventually reach 10,000.
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This seismic event is the most powerful earthquake to strike Venezuela since 1900.
