Rescue teams continued searching for survivors in Venezuela on Tuesday after twin earthquakes killed more than 1,700 people. Thousands remain missing as hopes of finding survivors fade nearly a week after the disaster. The devastating earthquakes have left millions affected and caused widespread destruction across the country.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century, damaged or destroyed an estimated 58,870 buildings. Preliminary satellite assessments indicated extensive destruction, particularly in La Guaira. Official figures reported more than 1,700 deaths and 5,000 injuries, while the United Nations estimated that around 50,000 people remain missing. The UN also said approximately seven million people could be affected by the disaster.
International rescue teams from 27 countries continued operations despite the passing of the critical 72-hour rescue window. More than 2,000 personnel and over 160 search dogs have joined recovery efforts. On Monday, rescuers successfully pulled a 21-year-old survivor from the rubble in Tanaguarena, offering a rare sign of hope. Meanwhile, aid deliveries continued through the reopened Port of La Guaira, where emergency responders managed hundreds of unidentified bodies awaiting identification.
Families gathered at cemeteries and temporary morgues searching for missing relatives as authorities struggled with the scale of the tragedy. The United States military assisted in restoring operations at the Port of La Guaira and Simón Bolívar International Airport. Authorities also imposed permit requirements for entering disaster zones while residents criticized what they described as a slow government response to the emergency.
The UN estimates the earthquakes caused economic losses of approximately $6.7 billion, equivalent to about six percent of Venezuela’s gross domestic product. Meanwhile, opposition leader María Corina Machado accused the government of preventing her return to the country during the crisis. The administration of interim President Delcy Rodríguez has not publicly responded to the allegation.