Devastating earthquakes continue to claim lives across Venezuela, with the latest official toll revealing a grim escalation. The number of confirmed fatalities has risen again—to at least 2,645—deepening national anguish over the scale of the disaster. Rescue teams are still working around the clock amid collapsed buildings, searching for survivors buried under rubble.
Mounting Human Cost
According to Venezuelan authorities, more than 12,666 people have been injured. Approximately 15,000 others have been left homeless and are struggling to survive under extremely difficult conditions. Yet the full extent of the catastrophe remains unclear. While officials have not released an official figure for the missing, the United Nations estimates the number could reach as high as 50,000.
National Mourning and Promises
Delsy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim president, has declared a seven-day national mourning period—the country’s worst seismic event in over a century. She also pledged that “no one will be buried in mass graves,” underscoring efforts to identify and honor each victim individually.
Hope Amid Ruins
In one emotional breakthrough, rescue teams from the United States, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Portugal, Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela worked for more than three days to free Hernán Hill from the rubble. Rescuers kept him hydrated and supplied with oxygen throughout the operation. His wife, Guisbimar González, called his survival “a true miracle,” as onlookers wept with relief.
Desperate Search for Loved Ones
Social media platforms have been flooded with photos of children, elderly individuals, and couples—each accompanied by names, physical descriptions, phone numbers, and urgent appeals for information about their whereabouts. Across affected areas, residents stand beside the ruins of their homes, insisting their loved ones are still alive—and accusing authorities of failing to respond adequately.