Key facts
- Over 58,000 buildings are estimated to have been damaged or destroyed by recent earthquakes in Venezuela.
- The twin quakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, have resulted in at least 1,943 deaths and over 10,571 injuries.
- The UN migration agency estimates that up to 6.8 million people could be affected by the disaster.
- The World Health Organization has warned of increased risks of disease outbreaks due to the strain on health facilities.
- Satellite data analysis suggests the scale of destruction may be significantly larger than official government estimates.
A preliminary analysis of satellite data suggests that over 58,000 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed by the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week, potentially dwarfing official estimates. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes have killed at least 1,943 people, injured more than 10,571, and left tens of thousands missing.
The UN migration agency estimates that up to 6.8 million people could be affected and require essential relief items. While the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, reported 855 buildings damaged, including 189 total collapses, researchers at Oregon State University, analyzing data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellites, concluded that approximately 58,870 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed.
The World Health Organization has raised concerns about potential disease outbreaks, citing extreme pressure on health facilities and gaps in care, particularly in the hard-hit port city of La Guaira. The WHO noted chaotic service delivery, overcrowding, and growing surgical backlogs, with challenges in registering casualties and tracking missing persons.
La Guaira has been militarized, and the US military has repaired the city's port, where a warehouse is being used as a makeshift morgue for hundreds of unidentified bodies. Approximately 27 countries have mobilized nearly 40 search and rescue teams, comprising over 2,000 personnel and 160 dogs. The UN is providing 10,000 body bags.
Growing public anger is directed at the authorities' perceived failure to prepare for and respond quickly to the disaster. Residents like Daniela Mangiafico are desperately seeking news of missing family members, expressing frustration over the slow arrival of aid and the need for heavy machinery to clear the extensive rubble. Volunteer rescuers have described the devastation as staggering, with most buildings in affected areas severely damaged or structurally compromised.