Overview
- The disaster began on June 24 when a rare doublet — a 7.2 quake followed about 39 seconds later by a 7.5 — struck northern Venezuela and caused widespread high‑rise collapses in La Guaira and nearby states.
- Venezuelan officials reported the death toll at about 2,954 with thousands more injured, while an opposition missing‑persons registry lists more than 38,000 people unaccounted for.
- After days of international deployments, many foreign search teams are winding down because the survival 'golden window' has largely closed and operations have been hampered by damaged roads, airports, ports and a shortage of heavy lifting equipment.
- Humanitarian needs remain acute as hospitals and morgues are overwhelmed, makeshift clinics have operated out of places such as a McDonald's and a bus station, tens of thousands are displaced and UN and health officials warn of growing risks of infectious disease.
- The quake response has intensified political backlash against Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, with surveys showing sharp declines in public confidence, rising calls for new elections and widespread reliance on volunteer and diaspora networks to fill aid gaps.