Olamilekan Abayomi
Venezuela is reeling after twin earthquakes on June 24 killed at least 920 people, with authorities warning the toll could rise further as rescue operations continue. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced the updated figure on Friday, doubling the previous count of 589 dead and confirming 3,360 injured. The quakes, a magnitude 7.2 foreshock followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock, struck near San Felipe in Yaracuy state and were felt across northwestern and central Venezuela, including Caracas. The USGS recorded both at “Violent” intensity IX and a shallow depth of 10 to 21 km, making them the strongest in Venezuela since the 1900 San Narciso earthquake.
The hardest-hit areas are along the northern coast, particularly La Guaira state next to the capital. Entire apartment blocks have been reduced to rubble, with rescue leader Nadiomar Polanco describing one complex of four tall buildings as a “total collapse” where efforts have shifted from finding survivors to recovering bodies. At least 172 people were confirmed trapped as of Friday, but the UN’s aid chief Tom Fletcher said more than 50,000 people were reported missing. A government website and opposition tracking site both show tens of thousands of unaccounted names, and phone service outages have made it difficult for families abroad to check on relatives.
Frustration is growing over the pace and resources of the response. In devastated neighborhoods of La Guaira and Caracas, family members and volunteers have been digging through debris with their bare hands and sledgehammers, calling for heavy machinery that many say has not arrived. “We need machinery to start lifting the columns. We haven’t seen any government officials here, none at all,” said Marjosly Salazar, who is searching for her five-month-old baby and cousin. Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez was jeered during a visit to a ruined area, as residents demanded faster aid. The government has restricted access to La Guaira from 8:00 pm Friday to control movement and allow crews to work.
Hospitals are overwhelmed. Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said facilities are “full of patients,” with many operating beyond capacity and facing shortages of electricity, medical supplies, and equipment. At least 30 aftershocks have been recorded, and a new 4.9-magnitude tremor was felt off the northern coast on Friday afternoon, adding to fears of further collapses. Many residents are sleeping outdoors in parks and car parks to avoid damaged buildings. The UN estimates direct damage at about $6.7 billion, while reinsurers note a large gap between economic and insured losses.
International assistance has begun to arrive. Search and rescue teams from Chile, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador, Cuba, the United States and others have joined the effort, alongside UN teams. The U.S. said it is deploying two warships, transport planes, helicopters and $150 million in aid, and has suspended economic sanctions that could hinder rescue operations. The UN has mobilized teams from at least 17 countries to help look for survivors under collapsed structures. “To the Venezuelan people, to those whose loved ones are under the rubble, know that we are determined that help gets to you,” said UN aid chief Tom Fletcher.
Seismologists say the twin quakes occurred on the San Sebastián fault system as strike-slip events, which can cause severe ground shaking over a wide area. The USGS PAGER system initially predicted deaths could exceed 10,000, and Fletcher warned the toll was likely to “rise significantly” as rubble is cleared. With more than 4,500 injured and entire communities isolated by damaged roads, officials say the number of casualties will keep climbing until access improves. For now, the focus remains on listening for cries beneath the concrete, recovering the dead, and getting aid to a population that has lost homes, hospitals and entire neighborhoods in under two minutes.
