Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Nears 1,000 As More Than 50,000 Remain Missing

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Rescue teams from around the world are racing against time in northern Venezuela after twin earthquakes struck within a minute of each other, killing at least 920 people and leaving more than 50,000 missing, according to the United Nations, as hopes of finding survivors continue to fade.

The two earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck on Wednesday evening, June 24, flattening buildings across northern Venezuela. The coastal state of La Guaira, near the capital Caracas, suffered the heaviest destruction, with entire residential complexes reduced to rubble.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP that the emergency response remains extremely complex, warning that the death toll is likely to rise significantly as rescue operations continue.

International search-and-rescue teams have begun arriving in the disaster zone, including specialists from Chile, Spain, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia, and Mexico. According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, teams from at least 17 countries are being mobilized to assist in the search for survivors.

At one collapsed residential complex in La Guaira, Chilean rescue team leader Nadiomar Polanco said the destruction was nearly total.

"Unfortunately, the collapse is total, and there is little chance of finding survivors. Efforts are now focused on recovering the bodies of the deceased," he said.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that access to the disaster zone would be restricted beginning at 8:00 p.m. Friday.

Across the affected areas, relatives, neighbors, and volunteers continued digging through rubble with their bare hands, saying heavy machinery and official assistance remained insufficient.

"I am looking for my little Gael... he was only five months old," said Marjosly Salazar, whose 16-year-old daughter died in the earthquake while her infant grandson and cousin remain missing.

"Please, we need support here. We need machinery to start lifting the columns. We haven't seen any government officials here, none at all," she said.

Meanwhile, interim leader Delcy Rodriguez faced angry crowds during a visit to a devastated neighborhood in Caracas, where residents accused the government of failing to respond adequately to the disaster.

Rodriguez said she received a telephone call from US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reaffirmed Washington's commitment to supporting relief operations by sending rescue personnel, specialized equipment, temporary shelter assistance, and humanitarian aid.

The United States had earlier announced the deployment of a disaster response force of more than 250 personnel, including three specialized urban search-and-rescue teams equipped with search dogs. A senior US military official also arrived in Caracas to oversee the American relief mission.

The UN and partner humanitarian agencies warned that Venezuela's existing humanitarian challenges—including food insecurity, deteriorating healthcare services, and limited access to essential services—could significantly worsen the impact of the disaster.

"The international community must not allow this emergency to deepen into a larger human tragedy," the agencies said in a joint statement.

Authorities said the victims include 28 Portuguese nationals, five Spaniards, two Brazilians, seven Chinese nationals, one Chilean, and one Italian-Venezuelan.

Portugal reported that 85 of its citizens remain missing or unaccounted for, while Spain said 119 of its nationals are still missing.

The twin earthquakes were the strongest to strike Venezuela since a magnitude 7.7 offshore earthquake in 1900 and the country's most powerful seismic event in more than a century.

In tribute to the victims, World Cup 2026 matches on Friday observed moments of silence before kickoff.