Venezuela Quakes Leave at Least 2,645 Dead as Rescue Effort Moves to Recovery

Overview

• The twin earthquakes on June 24 struck northern Venezuela, heavily damaging La Guaira and Caracas and producing a provisional official toll of 2,645 dead and 12,666 injured.
• The United Nations estimates about 50,000 people are missing or unaccounted for, while NASA satellite analysis finds roughly 58,870 buildings damaged or destroyed.
• Rescuers completed a high‑profile success when Hernan Gil, a 43‑year‑old security guard, was extracted alive after eight days under rubble by multinational teams.
• International search‑and‑rescue teams from at least seven countries joined local crews but operations now shift from survival searches to body recovery and large‑scale aid delivery.
• Humanitarian needs are acute: the World Food Programme has appealed for $50 million to feed 500,000 people, health agencies warn of epidemic risk from broken water and vaccine systems, and survivors protest limited access and slow recovery work.