Venezuela commemorates 5,546 dead from June quakes, thousands still missing
Commemorations across La Guaira and Caracas as officials raise the confirmed toll to 5,546, with 16,740 still missing and 23,000 sheltering after the June 24 earthquakes.
A month of mourning
The twin earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24, recorded at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, devastated the coastal state of La Guaira and parts of Caracas. On July 24 at 18:04 local time, exactly one month later, dozens of mourners gathered at the ruins of the OPP social housing complex in Caraballeda. Rescue operations paused, and the sound of jackhammers and drills gave way to a minute of silence. Similar tributes were held in public squares across the capital after a social media call for nationwide remembrance.
Families left flowers, photographs, and lit candles near a makeshift altar of toys and plush animals recovered from the wreckage. The complex, with towers that reached 12 storeys, collapsed entirely, burying thousands. A woman clutching a rosary led prayers for the eternal rest of the victims, while civil protection rescuers, firefighters, and volunteers stood among the mourners.
I truly want all relatives to pray for those who are no longer with us. And those of us who still have family there, we want to pray so that they may come out.
We are an illiterate people in this system of earthquakes. And this caught us completely by surprise. We didn't even know what the alarm was for. It wouldn't have given us time anyway. So today I raise my voice for them. May all those who fell in these two earthquakes rest in peace. And may perpetual light shine upon them.
Official toll climbs
Parliament president Jorge Rodriguez released updated figures on Friday: 5,546 confirmed dead and 16,740 missing. In the immediate aftermath, the UN had estimated the toll could reach 50,000, though the government has not published an official missing persons list. Authorities say approximately 23,000 people are living in makeshift shelters, 190 buildings collapsed, and nearly 900 others were damaged beyond habitability.
- Confirmed dead
- 5546
- Missing
- 16740
- Displaced (shelters)
- 23000
- Collapsed buildings
- 190
- Damaged buildings
- 900
A community in grief
After the minute of silence, recovery work resumed, with civil protection crews, firefighters, and volunteers sifting through mountains of concrete, twisted rebar, and stone. The altars have swollen each day as more children's toys are found, a grim reminder of the young lives lost. Families embraced and wept at the site, many still awaiting news of loved ones buried beneath the former 12-storey blocks. In a televised military ceremony, acting president Delcy Rodriguez acknowledged the one-month anniversary, though her remarks were cut short in the AFP feed.
National response
The government has yet to issue formal missing person lists, and critics note delays in aid distribution. The dual ceremonies in La Guaira and Caracas highlighted a nation still grappling with the scale of loss and displacement, with thousands still sleeping in improvised shelters.
