Venezuela Earthquake Recovery Update
One day after two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on June 24, emergency operations remain focused on search-and-rescue efforts, humanitarian assistance, and restoring essential services across the country’s hardest-hit regions.
The states of La Guaira, Caracas, Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, Lara, and Yaracuy suffered the most severe damage, with La Guaira emerging as the center of the national emergency response. Rescue crews continue working around the clock to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings while thousands of emergency personnel have been deployed throughout the affected areas.
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The Venezuelan government announced a major reinforcement of security and emergency forces in La Guaira, increasing the deployment from 4,000 to 11,500 personnel drawn from the Armed Forces, National Guard, National Police, Civil Protection, and other emergency agencies. Officials said the expanded presence is intended to maintain public order while allowing rescue operations to proceed without interruption.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello reported that more than 70,000 families have been affected in La Guaira alone. Emergency teams from the ministries of health and food are working to guarantee uninterrupted supplies of drinking water, food, and urgent medical care while authorities continue to assess the full extent of the disaster.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez spent Thursday in La Guaira personally overseeing rescue efforts in the communities hardest hit by the earthquakes, including Macuto, where search teams continue removing debris from collapsed buildings.
Speaking from the disaster zone, Rodríguez emphasized that rescuing survivors remains the government’s highest priority.
“We are here in Macuto, in La Guaira state, accompanying our people in the search and rescue of those who were trapped by structures and buildings that collapsed because of yesterday’s double earthquake.”
She also expressed solidarity with families waiting for news of missing loved ones.
“We are standing with the families, we extend our solidarity, and we hope to recover the greatest possible number of people alive.”
Rodríguez confirmed that Venezuela had requested international assistance to strengthen ongoing rescue operations.
“We have requested international assistance. The first rescue teams from the Dominican Republic are already on their way to our country to support our people in the face of this terrible tragedy. Over the coming hours, additional teams from other countries and the international community will arrive.”
She concluded her remarks with a message of hope.
“Our greatest wish, all our hope, and our prayers are with the lives of the Venezuelan people.”
Earlier in the day, Rodríguez announced that she had spoken with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who conveyed his condolences and expressed the organization’s readiness to mobilize UN agencies in support of Venezuela’s emergency response.
“He expressed his deepest solidarity with the Venezuelan people and his condolences for the tragedy affecting our nation. He has conveyed the full willingness of the United Nations to mobilize the capacities of its system and agencies to support the emergency response facing our country.”
Rodríguez also thanked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for Canada’s offer to provide humanitarian assistance.
“I thank Prime Minister Mark Carney for his gesture of solidarity toward our people. We appreciate the willingness of the Government of Canada to prepare humanitarian assistance to support the Venezuelan people during these difficult moments.”
With Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía temporarily closed because of earthquake-related damage, authorities announced that international humanitarian aid could instead enter the country through Maracaibo’s airport to facilitate the arrival of relief supplies and emergency personnel.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez released updated casualty figures, reporting 188 confirmed deaths, 1,520 people hospitalized with injuries, and 157 individuals still missing. Authorities also said more than 200 people remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings as rescue teams race against time to locate survivors.
Infrastructure damage remains extensive. Officials reported approximately 250 damaged buildings—primarily in the La Guaira communities of Caraballeda and Playa Grande—along with eight hospitals affected, 20 damaged shopping centers, and a total of 346 public and private structures sustaining significant damage. Nearly 3,000 families have been officially displaced.
Health Vice President Isabel Iturria said Venezuela’s public healthcare system remains fully operational despite the disaster. Hospitals across the country have activated emergency protocols, and many patients from La Guaira are being transferred to medical centers in Caracas. Although several hospitals sustained structural damage, authorities reported that none experienced catastrophic collapse, while the Hospital of Coche will undergo additional engineering evaluations.
Local governments have also begun implementing emergency measures. In Baruta, Mayor Darwin González declared a 30-day state of emergency after three residents were killed when their homes collapsed. Commercial activity has been suspended until June 29, except for food and healthcare services, while donation centers continue collecting bottled water, nonperishable food, hygiene products, diapers, and other emergency supplies.
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As recovery operations continue into a second day, authorities say their immediate priorities remain rescuing survivors, restoring critical infrastructure, delivering humanitarian aid, and supporting the tens of thousands of families affected by one of the most devastating natural disasters in Venezuela’s recent history.
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