Key facts
- Nearly 1,500 people have died in Venezuela due to earthquakes.
- Over 3,360 individuals have been injured.
- Millions of people are in need of assistance.
- Access to the earthquake epicenter has been restricted by authorities.
- 1,600 foreign rescuers have arrived, with more expected from 10 additional countries.
- The UN estimated the quakes caused $6.7bn in damage, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela’s GDP.
Twin earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela earlier this week, resulting in a death toll that has risen to 1,430, according to Jorge Rodríguez, President of the National Assembly. An additional 3,200 people were injured and 3,100 left homeless. Rescuers are continuing to search for survivors in the northern part of the country, where buildings were flattened. Approximately 68,900 people have been reported unaccounted for by their families.
The United Nations estimated the earthquakes caused $6.7 billion in damage, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's GDP, though this preliminary assessment does not cover wider economic disruption. Access to the epicenter, including the hard-hit area of La Guaira, has been restricted, requiring special permits, with many civilians resorting to using shovels and their bare hands to dig through rubble.
More than 14,000 members of the military and police are patrolling affected areas. Venezuela has received significant international aid, with 1,600 foreign rescuers arriving from countries including Mexico, the US, Brazil, El Salvador, France, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the UK. The U.S. military is assisting in coordinating flights for rescue workers, mobile hospitals, and supplies, with a U.S. Navy transport ship docked off the coast to receive survivors needing medical attention. Foreign nationals are among the confirmed dead.