Number of Dead in Venezuela Earthquake Rises to 589
Search for victims of the earthquake disaster
© APA
Thursday, 25.06.2026, 22:06
After the devastating double earthquake in Venezuela, the death toll has continued to rise. At least 589 people died in the disaster, as interim President Delcy Rodríguez reported on Friday during a meeting with military and officials. The government had given the number of injured the previous evening as 4,300. Numerous people are still missing under the rubble of collapsed houses.
Rescue teams searched under high pressure for survivors. With bare hands and flashlights, firefighters, soldiers, and residents searched the rubble for those buried. In many places, the power was out.
The earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 shook the region about 160 kilometers west of the capital on Wednesday. Meanwhile, support from abroad has also arrived. However, the desperation of the people in the earthquake area is great. "He lies under the concrete slabs and there are no machines to get him out," said Yamileth Jimenez about her 19-year-old son, who was buried in the coastal city of La Guaira. Beatriz Rodriguez was also hard hit. "It's a tragedy," said the 60-year-old. One of her nephews died, a second had both legs amputated after being trapped under rubble during the earthquake.
On a website shared by the opposition to search for missing persons, almost 49,500 people were reported as untraceable. Previously, an earthquake in 1967 with 240 deaths was considered the most devastating in the country's recent history.
The government confirmed the damage or destruction of 250 buildings, including at least eight hospitals, Red Cross facilities, and the French embassy. Many people in Venezuela live in poor neighborhoods, the "barrios." Thousands are now homeless and sleeping on the streets. Pedro Perez is also forced to do this. "We have lost everything," said the 64-year-old, looking at his house and his upholstery workshop. "We hope that help comes soon."
The United Nations (UN) is coordinating international rescue operations. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher emphasized that a huge joint effort is needed in a country where even before the earthquake, eight million people were dependent on humanitarian aid. The UN human rights mission called on the government in Caracas to lift restrictions on social media, as accessibility is a matter of life and death.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his condolences to those affected and bereaved and assured the government and the population of solidarity. "The Secretary-General is deeply affected by the deaths and the widespread destruction," spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in New York.
Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez thanked both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin for their support. Rodriguez had taken over leadership in Venezuela after the USA arrested her ally and former head of state Nicolas Maduro in January. The USA has now eased sanctions to enable earthquake aid. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the deployment of rescue teams. Mexico also sent soldiers and sniffer dogs.
As Starlink announced on platform X, the satellite internet service of Elon Musk's space company SpaceX is providing its users in Venezuela with free access for one month after the two earthquakes. In addition, the company is working to quickly set up Starlink terminals and restore internet connectivity in the hardest-hit areas.
