The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to 2,954, according to updated official figures released on Saturday, as international rescue teams began winding down search operations nearly two weeks after one of Latin America’s deadliest earthquake disasters in recent years.
The powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck on 24 June just 38 seconds apart. The disaster hit hardest in the coastal state of La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas, where numerous residential buildings collapsed, leaving thousands homeless and forcing many survivors into temporary shelters and camps.
The latest figures show fatalities increased by more than 300 compared with Friday’s count. Tens of thousands of people are still believed to be missing. While the Venezuelan government has not issued an official estimate, the United Nations has suggested that up to 50,000 people remain unaccounted for.
Ten days after the disaster, rescue teams have begun scaling back efforts to find survivors. Although the critical rescue window after major earthquakes typically closes within 72 hours, a small number of people have still been recovered alive during the past week.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez acknowledged the scale of the tragedy during a ceremony honouring international rescue teams and their search dogs.
“Venezuela is experiencing a profound grief gripping our people, where families still hold out hope of finding loved ones alive, people who have lost everything,” she said.
Several international teams, including rescue units from the United States and South America, said they were preparing to conclude their operations. The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s urban search and rescue team announced it was ending its mission after recent searches found no signs of life. Teams from Florida and Virginia were also preparing to leave the country.
The government has faced criticism from some survivors and local residents, who say emergency assistance was slow to arrive in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, forcing families to search through rubble on their own. Rodríguez defended the response, saying thousands of military personnel and government officials had been deployed to affected areas.
In La Guaira, recovery operations continued on Saturday. Heavy machinery was being used to clear collapsed structures, while families and volunteers were still searching for victims beneath the debris.
“We’re still working, still searching for bodies. We’re still going. It hasn’t been easy,” said volunteer Francisco Sasquia, who has been helping with recovery efforts. “We found two bodies that have already been released to their families.”
The United Nations estimates the earthquakes caused approximately $6.7 billion in physical damage, equivalent to around six per cent of Venezuela’s gross domestic product. The destruction has added further strain to a country already grappling with years of economic hardship and political instability that have weakened public infrastructure and essential services.
Maiquetía International Airport in La Guaira, a key gateway serving Caracas, also sustained damage during the earthquakes. The airport has partially reopened to accommodate humanitarian flights, although commercial services remain suspended.
“We are in touch with some international partners, countries that will help in restoring the Maiquetía International Airport,” Rodríguez said. “A plan will be ready next week.”
For many families, however, the focus remains on recovering and burying loved ones. Víctor Colivert was among those waiting beside the body of a relative recovered from the ruins. Fearing confusion amid the scale of the disaster, his family refused to let authorities take the body away.
“If I have to go to China, to wherever, but I’m not leaving him alone,” he said. “I’m going with him.”
