Venezuela earthquake: over 50,000 missing as military takes control of disaster zone
Two powerful earthquakes (magnitude 7.2 and 7.5) struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday evening, killing at least 920 people and leaving more than 50,000 missing. The government has placed the hardest-hit state of La Guaira under military control and closed access roads.
The quakes and their aftermath
Two earthquakes, measured at magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 by the US Geological Survey, struck Venezuela's northern coast within seconds of each other on Wednesday evening (24 June). The tremors flattened hundreds of buildings, including homes, hospitals, and shopping centres. Residents in the capital Caracas described walls cracking open and high-rises collapsing in clouds of dust.
The second quake was the most powerful in Venezuela since the 7.7 event in 1900, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre.That was the strongest earthquake I have ever felt. It felt like standing not on solid ground but on pudding.
Rescue efforts and the race against time
By Friday, the confirmed death toll had climbed to 920, with more than 3,300 injured and over 50,000 people still unaccounted for, according to UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher. Rescue teams from several countries, including Switzerland, Mexico, Colombia, and Germany, are working against the 72-hour survival window, after which the chances of finding survivors drop sharply.
Survivors described digging through debris with bare hands because heavy equipment was scarce.The search in the rubble is a colossal task.
A piece of brick fell on my daughter, and she tumbled down the stairs. We managed to run out while the debris was falling. It was terrible, just terrible.
Government militarization and public anger
The government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared La Guaira a disaster zone and deployed the military to maintain order and support rescue operations. Access roads to the region, which houses Venezuela's main international airport and seaport, were closed on humanitarian and health grounds, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said. More than 70,000 families are affected there. However, public frustration with the slow official response boiled over when Rodríguez visited a wealthy district of Caracas; relatives of victims chanted "get out, get out" and accused her of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. Rodríguez, who assumed power after US forces captured Nicolás Maduro in January, called the moment "critical hours for saving lives."
- Two earthquakes (magnitude 7.2 and 7.5) strike northern Venezuela.
- Rescue operations begin; initial death toll reported in dozens.
- Death toll rises to 920; La Guaira militarized and access roads closed.
- US pledges $150 million in aid; first international rescue teams arrive.
- Aftershock of magnitude 4.9 jolts northern coast; Rodríguez booed during site visit.
International aid and sanctions relief
The United States pledged $150 million in assistance and announced an easing of sanctions. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin would do everything to ensure swift support, and a 46-member team from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) landed in Caracas aboard a Bundeswehr A400M transport plane. The UN estimated direct damages at roughly $6.7 billion.
We are working tirelessly on this task.
Oil production unaffected
Oil Minister Paula Henao confirmed that oil extraction was not disrupted by the disaster and remains at 1.2 million barrels per day. All production facilities are operational, and fuel and natural gas supplies are secure, she said. The country, weakened by decades of economic and political crises, relies almost entirely on oil revenue.
