Twin Earthquakes Leave Thousands Dead and Homeless
Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes have now killed nearly 3,000 people, according to official figures released on Saturday.
The death toll has risen to 2,954 after increasing by more than 300 in one day. The disaster struck on June 24 and left thousands of families without homes.
Tens of thousands of people are still missing. Many families are continuing to search through collapsed buildings, hoping to find relatives or recover bodies for burial.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes caused massive destruction across parts of the country. The worst damage was reported in the coastal La Guaira area, located north of the capital Caracas.
Several residential complexes were flattened by the powerful tremors. Streets, shelters, and open areas are now filled with people who lost their homes.
International Rescue Teams Begin Leaving
Ten days after the disaster, international rescue teams have started winding down search operations.
Experts say the most critical rescue window after an earthquake is usually the first 72 hours. However, some survivors were reportedly found alive during the past week.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez held a ceremony to honour international rescue teams, including search dogs that helped locate victims.
Rescue teams from the United States and South America are now preparing to leave. The Los Angeles County fire department team said recent searches showed no signs of life. Teams from Florida and Virginia are also packing up to depart.
Rodriguez said Venezuela is facing deep national grief. She said many families are still hoping to find loved ones alive, while others have lost everything.
Anger Grows Over Government Response
Many Venezuelans have criticised the government’s response to the disaster.
Some families said they had to dig through debris themselves in the first hours after the earthquakes. They said international teams arrived later, while local communities struggled with limited support.
Rodriguez has defended the government’s response. She said thousands of troops and officials were sent to affected areas.
In La Guaira, heavy machinery has started demolishing unsafe buildings. At the same time, families and volunteers are still searching for bodies inside collapsed homes.
More than 16,000 people have lost their residences. Hospitals are also under pressure, and health experts have warned about the risk of disease outbreaks in crowded shelters.
For many survivors, the pain is personal and immediate. Some families are refusing to leave recovered bodies until proper funeral arrangements are made.
The disaster has become one of Latin America’s worst earthquake tragedies in recent years. It has left Venezuela facing a major humanitarian crisis, with urgent needs for shelter, medical care, clean water, and long-term reconstruction.
