Four days after two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck northern Venezuela, the country remains locked in a desperate race against time to find survivors trapped beneath mountains of rubble.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
The latest official death toll has risen to at least 1,430 people, while more than 3,300 have been injured. Entire neighbourhoods have been reduced to ruins, with the coastal state of La Guaira bearing the brunt of the catastrophe.
Venezuela battles its worst disaster in decades
Scenes of devastation continue to emerge from across northern Venezuela, where collapsed apartment blocks, shattered roads and damaged infrastructure have left thousands homeless.
Emergency services, already stretched before the disaster, are struggling to cope with the scale of the crisis. Many communities remain without reliable access to electricity, clean water and medical assistance, as aid agencies warn that humanitarian needs are growing by the hour.
Authorities fear the death toll could rise significantly as rescue teams continue to search collapsed buildings.
Nine Spaniards confirmed dead, 152 still missing
Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that nine Spanish nationals have lost their lives in the disaster. Meanwhile, the number of Spaniards reported missing has risen to 152.
According to the latest information from Madrid, a further 14 Spanish citizens have been located beneath collapsed structures, with specialist rescue teams working around the clock in an attempt to reach them alive.
The Spanish government has activated extensive consular assistance measures, while the first repatriation flight carrying almost one hundred affected citizens has already arrived in Spain.
International rescue operation intensifies
Rescue specialists from more than 20 countries have joined Venezuelan emergency services in one of the largest international humanitarian operations in recent years.
Among them are teams from Spain’s Military Emergencies Unit (UME), whose specialists have already helped rescue several survivors, including a woman who had remained trapped beneath debris for more than 72 hours. American rescue teams also succeeded in pulling a baby alive from the wreckage, providing a rare moment of hope amid the tragedy.
The European Union has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism and announced an initial emergency aid package worth €5 million to support relief efforts and the first stages of reconstruction.
Aftershocks continue to shake the country
Adding to the misery, the ground has continued to tremble since the first quake struck on 24 June.
Several strong aftershocks, some reaching magnitudes of 5.5, have been recorded in recent hours and were felt as far away as Caracas, further complicating rescue operations and increasing fears among residents already traumatised by the disaster.
Despite dwindling hopes of finding more survivors, rescue workers continue their painstaking search, refusing to give up while there remains even the slightest chance of saving lives.
