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Venezuela's confirmed earthquake death toll rose to 2,954 on Saturday, an increase of more than 300 from the previous day, as international rescue teams began winding down search operations 10 days after the disaster struck.
The twin earthquakes on June 24, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and only 38 seconds apart, left thousands of people homeless and living in camps.
Tens of thousands are still missing. The government has not given an official estimate, but the United Nations believes up to 50,000 people may be unaccounted for.
La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, was one of the hardest-hit regions. Many apartment buildings were destroyed. This disaster is now one of the worst earthquakes in Latin American history.
The usual 72-hour period for finding survivors has passed, but a few people were still found alive this week. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez held a ceremony to give medals to international rescue teams and their dogs, which seemed to mark the end of the search. Rodriguez spoke of a 'profound grief gripping our people' and said many families are still hoping to find missing loved ones.
Several international teams, including those from the US, finished their work on Saturday. The Los Angeles County fire department’s rescue team ended its search after finding no more signs of life. Teams from Florida and Virginia planned to leave over the weekend.
Some Venezuelans have criticized how quickly the government responded, saying they had to rescue relatives on their own before international teams arrived. Rodriguez defended the government’s actions, saying thousands of troops and officials were sent to help.
The United Nations estimates that the earthquakes caused $6.7 billion in damage, about 6% of Venezuela’s GDP. The country, which relies on oil exports, was already facing a long economic crisis before the disaster.
Maiquetıa International Airport, which serves Caracas, was damaged and is now open only for humanitarian flights. Commercial flights are still suspended. Rodriguez said international partners are helping with plans to restore the airport, and more details will be shared next week.
In La Guaira, workers used heavy equipment on Saturday to clear away collapsed buildings. Some families were still trying to recover the remains of loved ones. Volunteer Francisco Sasquia, who has been helping with recovery, said searches are still happening and that two bodies were recently returned to their families.
Victor Colivert’s main concern was staying with his nephew’s body, which the family recovered from the wreckage. They kept it from forensic authorities because they were afraid it might get lost in the chaos.
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