Venezuela earthquake: People take search for the missing into their own hands as death toll nears 1,000
Venezuelans took the search for missing loved ones into their own hands Friday (June 26, 2026) in the aftermath of back-to-back earthquakes, citing the scarcity
Venezuelans took the search for missing loved ones into their own hands Friday (June 26, 2026) in the aftermath of back-to-back earthquakes, citing the scarcity of government rescuers, as the human toll of the disaster climbed to at least 920 dead and more than 51,000 missing. Citizens digging through the rubble of their homes said they have seen few state rescue teams in the areas hit hardest by the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck late Wednesday (June 24, 2026), despite authorities projecting an image of a robust government response. Editorial |Tragic evening: On the earthquake in Venezuela The lack of help compounded families' desperation as the pressure to find buried survivors increased with each passing hour. The South American nation on Friday (June 26, 2026) marked nearly two days since the disaster. Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours to be a crucial time frame to retrieve people alive, though that period can be extended if they have access to food and water. On Friday (June 26, 2026) night, Venezuelan authorities announced they would block off access to La Guaira, the epicenter of the destruction, as chaos and and traffic began to affect search efforts. Government officials said that those who wanted to enter would now have to seek official permits, but provided few details of who would be allowed to enter. Meanwhile, a broad international aid effort accelerated, with dozens of rescue teams from around the globe arriving in Venezuela or due to arrive there soon. “Each person saved is a miracle,” said Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the country’s Assembly. “We are not going to hide absolutely anything about the magnitude of this tragedy." Families across northern Venezuela searched in the ruins of buildings for relatives and whatever remained of their lives.
Nazareth Jimenez sobbed into the shoulder of a loved one as she watched neighbors try to cut through slabs of concrete with hammers and power tools in a building reduced to a mountain of debris. “My God, how are we going to get them out of there?" she murmured. She was in the northern state of La Guaira, just north of the capital of Caracas, where some of the worst destruction unfolded. Jimenez was wracked with anxiety as she waited to see if her siblings, nephews, nieces and friends would emerge from the debris alive. “We're making a call for help to the government and countries across the world,” she said, pleading for machines that would be capable of moving collapsed structures. "There are still people alive in there.” Government forces distributed food and water to survivors in La Guaira as acting President Delcy Rodríguez said her government was mounting a full response during these “critical hours for rescuing people alive.” She welcomed the arrival of rescuers and humanitarian aid from all over the world. She said La Guaira had been militarized and that more help was on the way, even as residents said it was just a fraction of the aid they needed. The disaster poses a huge challenge for Rodríguez, the former Vice-President who took office in January after the capture and removal of then-President Nicolás Maduro by the United States. Venezuela has been facing economic disarray for more than a decade, and many people reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodríguez represents. The number of dead was expected to climb, and civilians reported tens of thousands of people missing on independent digital databases. The number of missing likely includes those who have been incommunicado due to the lack of cellphone signals in disaster zones. Some reports may be duplicates created when multiple loved ones are searching for the same person.
The BriefWire