Venezuela grapples with mounting death toll and humanitarian crisis a week after twin quakes
The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 have killed nearly 2,000 people, injured over 10,000 and left up to 6.8 million in need of assistance, prompting a large-scale international relief effort amid criticism of the government’s response.
A week after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes hit Venezuela on June 24, the death count has risen to 1,943 and more than 10,000 injuries have been reported, according to National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez. The United Nations humanitarian coordinator, Gianluca Rampolla, said the toll is expected to keep rising as rescue operations continue and noted that the U.N. and Venezuelan authorities have arranged for 10,000 body bags.
Satellite analysis by NASA estimates that nearly 59,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, potentially affecting up to 6.8 million people who require shelter, water, sanitation and medical care, according to the International Organization for Migration.
Local residents say they have been forced to conduct their own rescue efforts amid delays in government assistance. In the coastal state of La Guaira, volunteers have been using garbage bags and plastic sheets to retrieve bodies, and some have faced police roadblocks and permit checks when trying to bring equipment into disaster zones.
"The only thing the authorities do is get in the way," said construction worker Julio Meléndez, who described a two-day delay in bringing a jackhammer to a rubble site.
A 3-year-old boy rescued six days after the quakes was highlighted by interim President Delcy Rodríguez as a source of hope, while Rampolla called the public’s solidarity "outstanding" despite the ongoing pain.
The health system, already strained, is overwhelmed; International Medical Corps senior program manager Karol Bassim said most people in the hardest-hit areas lack food, water, shelter and basic health services, and hospitals are operating beyond capacity.
The United Nations warned of a heightened risk of infectious disease spread as many medical facilities remain damaged and staff are missing.
International aid has begun to flow. The United States announced a response that includes search-and-rescue teams, military logistics support and $150 million for charities and U.N. agencies. The European Union is providing over $5 million and deploying responders, while the United Kingdom, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Japan, Turkey and others have pledged assistance or sent emergency crews. Non-governmental organizations such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Caritas are also active on the ground.
"We are doing our best as Venezuelans to support our people," said César Jiménez of Project Hope, emphasizing the scale of the challenge ahead.