Venezuela is facing one of the most severe natural disasters in its modern history, as search-and-rescue operations continue under extraordinarily difficult conditions.
The death toll from the double earthquake has reached 235, while authorities stress that the figure could rise further, as dozens of people remain trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings.
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The two powerful seismic tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck Venezuela just 39 seconds apart. The consequences were devastating, with major building collapses, fires, power outages and significant damage to infrastructure. Since the first quake, more than 20 aftershocks have been recorded.
La Huira and Morón are the areas that suffered the heaviest damage. There, residents and rescue teams are trying to find survivors among the ruins, often digging with their bare hands because of the lack of heavy machinery. Both injured people and victims are being pulled from the rubble.
Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said the official death toll has risen to 235, but also acknowledged that many people are still missing. According to models by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), there are concerns that the number of victims could exceed 10,000, depending on conditions in areas that aid teams have not yet been able to reach.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals. Brazil has confirmed the deaths of two of its citizens, while Italy announced that an Italian-Venezuelan citizen died after a building collapsed. China also reported the deaths of two of its citizens.
Hospitals in the affected regions are overwhelmed with injured people and are facing severe shortages of medicines, medical equipment and basic supplies. In some cases, due to a lack of space, patients are receiving treatment in hospital courtyards.
Residents have urgently called for more aid and rescue equipment, while also denouncing a lack of coordination and delays in the response. Thousands of people have been left without shelter, drinking water and food, while looting incidents have also been reported in some areas.
The Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency and announced that international aid from the United States, Spain, Mexico and Qatar is on its way to the country. The U.S. has also approved a $150 million aid package and deployed military assets to support search-and-rescue operations.
At the same time, aftershocks continue to spread panic among the population and are making the work of emergency teams even more difficult. Authorities warn that rescue operations could last for days, even weeks, while the true scale of this tragedy remains unclear.
