Hyderabad, June 27 -- The situation in Venezuela grew more desperate by the hour as residents searched through the rubble of collapsed homes and apartment buildings, three days after a devastating one-two punch of 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes.

Authorities on Friday night, June 26, announced restrictions on access to La Guaira, the epicentre of the destruction, as heavy traffic and crowds began disrupting rescue operations. Officials said people entering the area would now require official permits, though details about the process remained unclear.

The death toll from Wednesday's earthquakes climbed to at least 920, while more than 51,000 people were reported missing. Many Venezuelans took the search for missing relatives into their...