Venezuela earthquakes: 920 dead, 55,000 missing as rescue teams face access hurdles

The disaster

On the evening of 24 June, residents of northwestern Venezuela were preparing dinner when the first tremor shook the ground. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck, and just 40 seconds later a second, even stronger one of 7.5 followed. More than 200 aftershocks rippled through the region in the hours afterwards, collapsing residential buildings, schools, hospitals and roads. The quakes were the strongest in over a century, felt as far away as distant parts of the country.

There are buildings, houses that collapsed. We are dealing with this, using everything available in terms of security, civilian assistance. Firefighters, police, everything has been deployed.

By 27 June the official death toll had risen to 920, with 3,360 injured. The number of missing stood between 50,000 and 55,000, and experts warned it could climb far higher. Parliament head Jorge Rodriguez said final fatalities may reach 50,000. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP the death toll would "certainly rise significantly."

International victims

At least 28 Portuguese citizens died and 85 were missing, according to Portugal's foreign ministry. Spain confirmed five fatalities and 133 missing. An Italian-Venezuelan dual national was killed when a building collapsed in La Guaira state; Rome estimates 170,000 people with Italian passports live in Venezuela. Two Brazilians, one Chilean and seven Chinese nationals also perished. Polish authorities said no citizens were reported harmed.

Rescue access problems

As the scale of the disaster became clear, international offers poured in: the US pledged $150 million, 250 rescue workers and logistical support; India offered a field hospital and 35 tonnes of aid; the Red Cross sent 17 tonnes of humanitarian supplies. But teams on the ground faced obstacles. The mayor of Medellín, Colombia, accused Venezuela of blocking entry for Colombian firefighters, who waited four hours at an airport without permission.

People, this is a tragedy. It's an emergency. It's not a party you need an invitation for.

A British NGO team, Serve On International, with a search dog and specialist equipment, was stuck at Madrid airport after commercial airlines refused to transport them. New UK Defence Minister Dan Jarvis said he would look into the matter immediately and thanked the RAF for its support. The main airport in La Guaira, the worst-hit coastal state, remained closed due to damage, further complicating aid delivery.

Political pressure

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed power in January after the US detained and removed Nicolás Maduro, spoke by phone with Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US officials confirmed readiness to send rescuers, equipment and humanitarian aid.

We are deeply grateful for this gesture of friendship and cooperation.

Rodriguez said La Guaira had been "completely militarised" to coordinate the response, and parliament chief Jorge Rodriguez vowed to rescue those trapped under the rubble. The quake is the biggest test yet for the interim government, already grappling with a decade-long economic crisis.

Ongoing seismic risk

On the afternoon of 26 June, a fresh tremor of magnitude 4.9, with an epicentre 80 km northwest of Caracas and a depth of 35 km, rattled the region. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded the event; no further casualties or damage were immediately reported. Authorities and seismologists warned that additional aftershocks remain likely, and search-and-rescue operations continue under the threat of further collapses.