The increasing demand for assistance comes as the United Nations has appealed for approximately $300 million to support 1.3 million people in urgent need following the disaster, which devastated much of the northern state of La Guaira.

Mobile clinics, field hospitals and community kitchens now operate throughout affected areas, providing medical treatment and emergency assistance to thousands of displaced residents.

Long-term health needs emerge

Tom Fletcher, the United Nations’ emergency relief chief, said medical needs have shifted from emergency trauma care toward the treatment of chronic illnesses that were interrupted by the disaster.

“It is clear at displacement sites that, particularly after two weeks, that people are turning up because they haven’t been able to get their other treatments,” Fletcher told The Associated Press during a visit to Venezuela.

“So, they’re not turning up with just the fractures now, they’re turning up with those longer-term health needs. And it’s vital that we’re there for them.”

Doctors working in Catia La Mar reported increasing cases of skin diseases, diarrheal illnesses and requests for medications used to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Medical workers said many of the illnesses are linked to overcrowded temporary shelters and inadequate access to clean water and sanitation—problems that existed in some communities even before the earthquakes.

Thousands remain displaced

Among those seeking treatment was 67-year-old Irma Echarri, who visited a mobile medical unit hoping to replace prescription eye drops and pain medication while also seeking care for persistent pain in her nose following the June 24 earthquakes.

“It hurts a lot,” Echarri said while waiting for treatment. “It hurts because it hurts.”

Although her home remained standing, many of her neighbors continue living in temporary shelters or outdoors after the earthquakes destroyed 190 buildings and damaged another 856, according to Venezuelan authorities.

Officials said the twin earthquakes killed 3,889 people and left roughly 18,000 residents homeless.

Many displaced families are now sheltering in schools, parks, sidewalks, plazas and other public spaces.

International aid effort expands

Fletcher said the United States has so far provided the largest share of international earthquake-response assistance, while much of the relief effort is being delivered by Venezuelan organizations working alongside global humanitarian agencies.

One beneficiary, 41-year-old Zulbey Reyes, sought treatment at a clinic operated by Venezuelan organization Paluz in partnership with the International Rescue Committee after developing chest pain following the disaster.

Having also lost her job as a nanny because of the earthquakes, Reyes said doctors determined her pain was caused by inflammation rather than heart disease.

“I thought it was my heart that was sick,” she said. “But it’s a nerve that became inflamed after the screams that day.”

Health system under pressure

Armando Denegri, the Pan American Health Organization’s representative in Venezuela, said half of La Guaira’s healthcare professionals were directly affected by the earthquakes.

“Some disappeared, some died, others were severely affected by the crisis, impacting their families,” Denegri told reporters, without providing further details.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has estimated that direct damage to housing and infrastructure totals about $37 billion.

Shift in government approach

The widespread presence of humanitarian organizations marks a significant change from recent years, when nongovernmental organizations often faced accusations of anti-government activity and restrictions under the administration of former President Nicolás Maduro, during which current acting President Delcy Rodríguez served as vice president.

Fletcher said the current emergency has encouraged cooperation despite previous political tensions.

“When you have a crisis of this magnitude, people put the politics to one side and are able to focus on saving as many lives as possible, and that’s what I’m seeing so far in this response,” he said.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.

Article Topics: Venezuela | Earthquake | Humanitarian Crisis | United Nations | La Guaira | Public Health | Disaster Relief | Latin America

The post Chronic Illness and Disease Surge Among Venezuela Earthquake Survivors as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

The search for survivors is increasingly giving way to the grim task of recovering the dead, with international rescue teams beginning to leave the country after nearly two weeks of operations.

Among those searching is 26-year-old Noel Márquez, whose family’s apartment building collapsed and caught fire during the June 24 earthquakes in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas.

Márquez survived because he was away from home at the time. Returning to the scene, he found only his 17-year-old brother, Leonel, still alive beneath the wreckage.

Márquez and his father spoke with Leonel through layers of concrete as he pleaded for help while trapped under heavy columns. According to Márquez, they waited for heavy machinery that never arrived.

After several hours, Leonel’s voice fell silent.

Families Search for Closure

Márquez said the ordeal did not end with his brother’s death.

Unable to obtain equipment needed to recover his relatives, he attempted to retrieve their bodies himself.

He said he managed to recover the remains of his brother and mother but was forced to leave behind his pregnant sister, grandmother and other relatives still buried beneath the collapsed building.

“It’s unfair. It’s inhumane, everything that is happening,” Márquez said outside a makeshift morgue at the port of La Guaira.

“We couldn’t get my brother out because we didn’t get a response from the state … and after 11 days, we are still requesting a crane.”

Across the disaster zone, similar stories have emerged as families continue searching for missing relatives while hoping to recover bodies for burial.

“I found her hand, but her torso is crushed,” said Norely Rodríguez, who has been trying to recover the body of her 5-year-old daughter. “I want to see if I can get her out whole.”

Civilians Lead Recovery Efforts

Residents say they have received little assistance in recovering victims from collapsed buildings.

William Gomez, a firefighter in La Guaira, said recovery work has become increasingly difficult as bodies decompose beneath the rubble.

“It has been difficult because the bodies are already in an advanced state of decomposition, decomposed to such an extent that many times when we try to remove them, they fall apart,” Gomez said.

Authorities announced Monday that the confirmed death toll had risen to 3,535, while another 16,740 people were reported injured.

The total number of people still trapped remains unknown. More than 30,000 missing-person reports have been submitted through a website established by Venezuela’s political opposition.

According to the United Nations Development Programme, approximately 1.2 million tons of debris remain in the areas of La Guaira most heavily damaged by the earthquakes.

Over the weekend, few government emergency crews were visible in the hardest-hit neighborhoods. Most recovery efforts were being carried out by residents using shovels, pickaxes and their hands, occasionally assisted by firefighters and Mexican rescue personnel still operating in the country.

“We are the ones helping ourselves: our family. Nobody else helps us except for a few volunteers,” said resident Yeikhary Urbina, who recovered the bodies of her mother and brother after finding them beneath collapsed concrete.

Some communities have discussed pooling money to rent cranes privately, with one neighborhood reportedly facing a cost of $11,500 for heavy equipment.

Government Shifts Focus to Reconstruction

Several international search-and-rescue teams from countries including Italy, Argentina and Spain have already returned home.

Although Venezuelan authorities have not officially ended the search for survivors, government messaging has increasingly shifted toward reconstruction.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced plans to rebuild damaged infrastructure through a program called “Venezuela Reborn.”

“Venezuela is entering a process of infrastructure recovery, of housing recovery,” Rodríguez said on state television.

She rejected criticism that the government’s response to the disaster had been too slow and accused some media organizations of spreading misinformation.

Questions Raised Over Building Safety

For many survivors, the recovery effort has also renewed concerns about the safety of public housing developments built years earlier under former President Hugo Chávez.

Entire residential towers collapsed during the earthquakes, prompting renewed scrutiny over construction standards.

Alexander, a police officer who asked that only his first name be used because he feared retaliation as a government employee, said he lost his wife and three daughters when their apartment building collapsed.

He criticized authorities for failing to address long-standing concerns raised by residents about the structural quality of the building and for what he described as delayed rescue efforts.

After searching for 11 days, he finally recovered the body of his 12-year-old daughter.

“She was waiting for me to pull her out,” he said while carrying her body in a black plastic bag.

As emergency operations wind down, thousands of Venezuelans continue searching through the debris, hoping to recover missing relatives while confronting the immense human toll left by one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters.

This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.

Topics: Venezuela | Earthquake | Disaster Recovery | La Guaira | Humanitarian Crisis | Search and Rescue | Reconstruction | World News

The post Venezuelans Recover Loved Ones as Earthquake Rescue Efforts Wind Down appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

According to reporting by the Associated Press and Reuters, the humanitarian emergency has intensified pressure on Rodríguez’s administration as the official death toll rose to 2,645 on Friday, with more than 12,500 people reported injured. Thousands remain displaced, and search and recovery operations continue in the hardest-hit areas.

The political uncertainty has coincided with the expiration of Rodríguez’s 180-day interim mandate under Venezuela’s constitutional framework. Authorities had not immediately announced whether additional constitutional or legislative steps would follow.

Machado Calls for Return

Speaking from Panama, Machado said the earthquake had exposed weaknesses in the government’s emergency response and argued that she should return to Venezuela to help guide both recovery efforts and the country’s broader political transition.

She said the country needed trusted leadership at a time when many communities had criticized the pace and organization of official rescue operations. Machado’s political movement has also organized volunteers, collected humanitarian donations and established an online registry listing tens of thousands of people reported missing following the disaster.

Government Defends Emergency Response

Rodríguez rejected allegations that authorities reacted too slowly after the earthquakes, insisting emergency protocols were activated immediately and that thousands of civilian and military personnel had been deployed to affected communities.

During her first major news conference since the disaster, she dismissed criticism of the government’s response as politically motivated and said search-and-rescue operations remained active in locations where officials still believed survivors could be found. She also announced the creation of a reconstruction fund to support long-term recovery.

Residents in several affected areas have described a different experience, telling reporters that many neighborhoods relied heavily on volunteers and local residents during the first days after the earthquakes while waiting for heavy equipment and organized rescue teams to arrive.

U.S. Position Adds to Political Tensions

The Associated Press reported that senior U.S. officials, speaking anonymously because they were discussing private diplomatic conversations, said the Trump administration discouraged Machado from returning immediately after the earthquakes.

According to the officials, Washington was concerned that her return during the emergency could trigger political instability while recovery efforts remained underway. The officials also said the United States was not prepared to facilitate her travel, although it could not prevent her from returning independently.

Humanitarian Challenges Continue

International governments and aid organizations have pledged emergency assistance as concerns grow over deteriorating sanitation, damaged infrastructure and the risk of disease outbreaks in affected communities.

Relief agencies continue working to provide medical care, clean water and temporary shelter while search teams recover victims from collapsed buildings. Aid workers have warned that the full humanitarian impact may take weeks or months to assess as recovery operations continue.

The earthquakes represent one of the deadliest natural disasters in Venezuela’s recent history, leaving authorities to balance urgent humanitarian needs with an increasingly complex political landscape as recovery efforts move into a prolonged phase.

Tags: Venezuela, Earthquake, Delcy Rodríguez, María Corina Machado, Humanitarian Crisis, Disaster Response, Caracas, La Guaira, Search and Rescue, Political Transition, Reuters, Associated Press

The post Venezuela’s Earthquake Crisis Deepens Into Political Test as Machado Seeks Return appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

According to the Associated Press, at least 2,295 people have died following the twin earthquakes, while thousands more remain missing. The scale of the disaster has overwhelmed hospitals, forensic services and local authorities responsible for managing the dead, leaving many families navigating an increasingly difficult process to recover the bodies of loved ones.

Among them is Rosa López, who accompanied her daughter in the search for her missing husband after the disaster.

López, a former nurse, said she was confronted with rows of bodies wrapped in blankets and sheets awaiting identification, a scene she described as unlike anything she had experienced during her medical career.

Families Face Difficult Decisions

López’s 25-year-old son-in-law, José Antonio Toledo, was found beneath the building where he had been working as a security guard when the earthquakes struck.

His body was initially taken to a local hospital, but the facility lacked space to receive additional victims. Officials later transferred his remains to another location before they were eventually moved to an open parking area being used to hold bodies awaiting identification.

A forensic doctor later helped the family locate Toledo’s body.

After identifying him, relatives discovered they could not afford the approximately $450 required for funeral services. Later that night, local officials informed them that a cemetery plot had become available at no cost, allowing the family to bury him before the opportunity expired.

López said the burial spared her son-in-law from the possibility of being placed in a mass grave, a concern shared by many families as the number of fatalities continues to increase.

Recovery Effort Expected to Continue for Months

Forensic technician Joel Mirabal said recovery operations have continued without interruption since the earthquakes struck.

He estimated that relatives or neighbors are available to identify victims in roughly 60% to 70% of recoveries. In many cases, identification depends on tattoos, scars or clothing because bodies have been severely damaged.

Victims who cannot be immediately identified are transported to forensic specialists working at the Port of La Guaira, where refrigerated shipping containers donated by private companies are being used to preserve remains.

Mirabal said authorities expect the number of recovered bodies to continue rising as rescue teams remove additional debris from collapsed buildings. He added that forensic crews anticipate recovery operations could continue for as long as three months.

He also noted that many recoveries have been made possible through the efforts of local residents who have joined emergency personnel in searching damaged neighborhoods.

Long Waits Outside Makeshift Morgues

Outside the Port of La Guaira, families continue gathering each day in hopes of identifying loved ones as authorities transport newly recovered victims from across the disaster zone.

Funeral home vehicles and private cars formed long lines outside temporary morgue facilities while relatives waited for officials to complete identification procedures.

Among those waiting was Robert Rodríguez, whose family searched for Rafael Alvarado, his son-in-law. Alvarado died after becoming trapped inside the grocery store where he worked.

Rodríguez said relatives located Alvarado beneath the rubble before his body was transferred to the port for formal identification.

The family plans to cremate his remains and scatter his ashes on Isla de Margarita, the Venezuelan island where he had lived.

Recovery Challenges Continue

As search and recovery efforts continue across La Guaira, authorities remain focused on locating thousands of people still unaccounted for while processing an increasing number of fatalities.

The disaster has placed extraordinary pressure on forensic teams, hospitals and emergency services as Venezuela confronts one of the deadliest natural disasters in its recent history.

Tags: Venezuela, La Guaira, Earthquake, Disaster Recovery, Missing Persons, Forensic Investigation, Humanitarian Crisis, José Antonio Toledo, Emergency Response, Search and Rescue, Natural Disaster, Americas

The post Venezuelan Families Race to Identify Earthquake Victims as Death Toll Continues to Rise appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

The dramatic rescue of 43-year-old Hernán Alberto Gil Flores drew celebrations from Venezuelan and international rescue teams after he was pulled alive from the basement of a collapsed shopping center in La Guaira state. Trapped in an air pocket beneath concrete debris, Gil Flores survived after rescuers established contact with him and supplied food and water through narrow openings during an operation that lasted more than 100 hours.

Elsewhere in the coastal city of Catia La Mar, however, recovery efforts increasingly shifted from searching for survivors to retrieving victims. According to the AP, emergency personnel carried body bags through devastated neighborhoods while rescue teams from multiple countries continued responding to reports of possible survivors, often finding no signs of life.

The government of acting President Delcy Rodríguez said at least 2,295 people have been killed and more than 11,000 injured by the earthquakes. Thousands of residents remain displaced, with many staying in temporary shelters or sleeping outdoors as medical professionals warn that overcrowding and untreated injuries could increase the risk of infectious disease outbreaks.

Government Rejects Criticism of Disaster Response

Rodríguez defended her administration’s handling of the emergency during a news conference with foreign journalists, rejecting allegations that authorities were slow to respond in the critical hours after the earthquakes.

She said emergency services were activated immediately following the disaster while acknowledging that survivors, relatives and neighbors were naturally the first people to begin rescue efforts at collapsed buildings.

Responding to reports that residents in La Guaira conducted searches with their bare hands during the first two days after the earthquakes, Rodríguez described those accounts as politically motivated and said the government had mobilized all available public, private, national and international resources.

Her remarks came one day before the scheduled expiration of her 180-day mandate as acting leader. The AP reported that it remains unclear how Venezuela’s political leadership will proceed after Friday, although the country’s constitution outlines procedures for temporary presidential vacancies and allows the National Assembly to extend interim appointments or call a new election under certain circumstances.

Deportation Flight Survivor’s Family Seeks Answers

The disaster also affected Venezuelans who had recently been deported from the United States.

According to the AP, Daniel Alejandro Núñez Ramírez, 28, arrived in Venezuela on a deportation flight just hours before the earthquakes struck. His mother, Oswadeliz Nuñez, said he briefly called her after landing and told her he and other deportees had been transferred to a holding facility in La Guaira.

Approximately 30 minutes after their conversation ended, the earthquakes struck the region. Oswadeliz Nuñez later learned that her son had died when the building collapsed.

She questioned why her son had been housed in La Guaira instead of being allowed to return directly to his family in Caracas. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security told the AP that responsibility for the deportees was transferred to Venezuelan authorities after the flight landed.

U.S. Backs Relief Efforts

The AP reported that the United States has expanded its involvement in Venezuela following the removal of former President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, backing Rodríguez’s administration and supporting disaster relief operations.

According to the report, the United States has committed more than $300 million in assistance and deployed approximately 900 military personnel to support rescue and humanitarian operations.

Rodríguez thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their assistance, saying they remained engaged throughout the emergency.

John M. Barrett, the U.S. chargé d’affaires to Venezuela, said revenue from Venezuelan oil production administered under U.S. Treasury oversight is being directed toward reconstruction efforts, including shelter, sanitation, healthcare and energy generation projects. He added that the country’s oil and gas production had not been directly affected by the earthquakes and continues to increase.

Transparency Questions Remain

Laura Cristina Dib, Venezuela program director at the Washington Office on Latin America, said oversight of reconstruction funding will be essential to ensure assistance reaches those affected by the disaster.

She told the AP that questions remain about transparency in the management of the funds and stressed the importance of ensuring resources are used to support Venezuelans recovering from the earthquakes.

As rescue operations continue, authorities and humanitarian organizations remain focused on assisting displaced communities while recovery teams work across some of the country’s hardest-hit areas.

Tags: Venezuela, Earthquake, La Guaira, Catia La Mar, Delcy Rodríguez, Humanitarian Crisis, Disaster Response, United States, Search and Rescue, Relief Efforts, Americas, Reconstruction

The post Venezuela Rescue Efforts Continue as Earthquake Death Toll Rises and Government Faces Scrutiny appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Hernán Alberto Gil Flores was pulled from the basement of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in the coastal town of Catia La Mar, in La Guaira state, where he had been trapped since the earthquakes struck on June 24.

Covered in dust and wearing an oxygen mask, Gil Flores was carried from the site on a stretcher before being transported by ambulance for medical evaluation. Rescue workers and volunteers applauded as the operation concluded after more than 100 hours of excavation.

International Teams Coordinated Rescue Effort

Rescue crews first established contact with Gil Flores over the weekend after detecting signs of life beneath the rubble. According to the AP, specialists worked continuously to create a safe tunnel through the unstable structure while supplying him with water and liquid nutrients through a narrow opening.

The operation involved urban search and rescue teams from Venezuela alongside specialists from Chile, the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

Costa Rican Red Cross rescuer Minyar Collado told the AP that Gil Flores had asked rescuers not to inform his wife that he was alive until they were certain he could be saved. Despite the uncertainty, Collado said the team remained committed to bringing him out safely.

Survival Against the Odds

Emergency responders said Gil Flores survived because the small security cabin where he was working during the night shift remained largely intact as the surrounding structure collapsed. The cabin created a pocket of air that protected him from falling concrete and debris.

Specialized teams used a telescopic camera to maintain communication with him throughout the operation. During the final stages of the rescue, Chilean firefighter María Paz Campos spoke with Gil Flores continuously, encouraging him and providing instructions while debris continued to fall.

Video released by Chilean firefighters before the rescue showed Gil Flores drawing while waiting to be freed. Campos reminded him to keep protective goggles on to shield his eyes from dust and falling particles.

Family Awaits Rescue

Gil Flores’ wife, Gusbimar González, told the AP she had nearly lost hope before rescue teams confirmed they had made contact with her husband.

She said learning that he was alive gave her renewed hope after days of uncertainty. The couple has two children, ages 8 and 10.

Earthquakes Caused Widespread Devastation

The rescue comes after two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, with reported magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.

According to the AP, the shallow earthquakes damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of buildings across the region. More than 2,200 people were killed, over 11,000 were injured, and La Guaira state experienced some of the country’s most severe destruction.

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez praised both domestic and international rescue teams in a post on X, thanking them for their cooperation in saving lives. Her comments came as the government has faced criticism from many Venezuelans over its response to the disaster.

While Gil Flores’ rescue provided a rare moment of hope after more than a week of tragedy, emergency operations continue across affected areas as authorities assess damage and support displaced communities.

Tags: Venezuela, Earthquake, La Guaira, Catia La Mar, Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, Search and Rescue, Natural Disaster, Costa Rican Red Cross, Chilean Firefighters, Delcy Rodríguez, Humanitarian Response, Americas

The post Rescuers Pull Venezuelan Security Guard Alive From Rubble Eight Days After Earthquakes appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck northern Venezuela on June 24, killing at least 2,295 people and injuring more than 11,200, according to government figures. Thousands of others remain missing as rescue teams continue searching through debris across the heavily affected state of La Guaira and surrounding areas.

Families Wait as Rescue Operations Continue

Among those waiting is Angélica Mundrain, whose son, niece, and nephew remain trapped beneath the rubble of her collapsed beachfront apartment building in La Guaira.

Speaking six days after the disaster, Mundrain said she has remained near the site while waiting for the heavy machinery needed to remove large sections of concrete and twisted steel.

“We’ve been abandoned,” she said, describing what she viewed as a lack of organization and empathy during the rescue effort.

Residents in several affected communities questioned who was directing emergency operations, arguing that the government’s response fell short during the crucial first days following the disaster.

Civilians and International Teams Lead Many Rescues

According to residents, much of the initial response focused on traffic control, with police officers, intelligence personnel, and members of the armed forces stationed at road intersections while civilians and foreign rescue teams searched collapsed buildings for survivors.

Local residents said ambulances became trapped in lengthy traffic congestion, hospitals struggled with limited staff and medical supplies, and emergency responders often operated with minimal equipment.

Many survivors credited fellow Venezuelans and international rescue teams equipped with trained search dogs, thermal imaging cameras, and sound-detection technology for carrying out many of the successful rescues and recoveries.

Several residents also alleged that government personnel spent extended periods observing rescue operations rather than actively participating. Those claims reflect the views of residents interviewed by The Associated Press.

Experts Cite Long-Term Institutional Weaknesses

David Smilde, a professor at Tulane University who has studied Venezuela for decades, said the disaster highlighted broader institutional challenges facing the country’s public sector.

He argued that years of low public-sector wages, corruption, and workforce departures have weakened the government’s ability to organize large-scale emergency responses.

Smilde said effective disaster management depends on clearly defined emergency protocols and sufficient personnel to implement them. Without those systems, he said, government agencies struggle to coordinate rescue operations during major crises.

Uneven Access to Rescue Resources

Residents also questioned whether access to rescue equipment varied depending on wealth or political connections.

Mundrain pointed to another collapsed residential building where relatives of residents were reportedly able to rent a telescopic crane to assist recovery efforts, while her own building continued waiting for similar equipment.

She suggested that communities connected to influential officials appeared to receive faster assistance than others.

Public frustration occasionally spilled over into confrontations. In one incident described by residents, people blocked a government excavator from leaving the site of a collapsed public housing complex and pulled its operator from the vehicle to prevent the machinery from being relocated before recovery work had been completed.

Government Defends Ongoing Relief Effort

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez acknowledged public frustration while defending the government’s response.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Rodríguez said authorities continued supporting affected families and directly overseeing rescue and recovery operations in La Guaira, adding that she shared the grief and frustration experienced by many Venezuelans.

Rescue workers continued searching damaged buildings Tuesday, occasionally finding survivors despite diminishing hopes as more time passed after the earthquakes.

Emergency experts generally consider the first 48 to 72 hours following a major disaster to be the most critical period for locating survivors, although survival can be extended when trapped individuals have access to food and water.

Survivors Describe Growing Frustration

Daniel Castillo, an electrician whose mother and son survived after he rescued them from their collapsed apartment building shortly after the earthquake, said he later recovered his brother’s body after waiting another day to reach him.

While collecting humanitarian supplies from a military-operated distribution point, Castillo criticized what he viewed as an inadequate official response.

He contrasted the appearance of clean military uniforms with civilians and foreign rescue workers who had spent days digging through collapsed buildings, saying ordinary Venezuelans carried much of the rescue effort.

Search operations continue across affected communities as authorities work to determine the full number of casualties and locate thousands of people who remain missing following one of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.

Tags: Venezuela, La Guaira, Earthquake, Disaster Response, Search and Rescue, Delcy Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro, Humanitarian Crisis, Emergency Response, U.S., Natural Disaster, Public Safety

The post Survivors Question Venezuela’s Earthquake Response as Rescue Delays Deepen Frustration appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

The warning comes as rescue operations increasingly shift toward recovery efforts, with the number of survivors being pulled from the rubble falling sharply in recent days.

Government officials said rescue teams found only one survivor by Tuesday afternoon—a toddler rescued after spending six days trapped beneath a collapsed building. Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, announced the rescue while noting that official search operations had slowed significantly.

Authorities said rescue teams saved 5,380 people during the first two days after the earthquakes, compared with just four people rescued alive on Monday. Volunteer groups, however, carried out additional rescues independently before international emergency teams arrived.

Death Toll Continues to Rise

The Venezuelan government has placed the official death toll at more than 1,900 people.

Experts believe the actual number may be considerably higher as recovery crews continue retrieving bodies from collapsed buildings and morgues struggle to accommodate the increasing number of victims.

The United Nations estimated Tuesday that the earthquakes generated approximately 1.2 million tons of debris from destroyed homes, businesses and infrastructure.

Aid agencies also warned that thousands of displaced residents remain exposed to harsh conditions after spending several days sleeping outdoors or inside overcrowded emergency shelters.

Hospitals Operating Beyond Capacity

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Venezuela’s healthcare system, already weakened by years of economic hardship and underinvestment, is now under extraordinary strain.

WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier told reporters in Geneva that hospitals are operating beyond their capacity to manage the surge in trauma patients resulting from the disaster.

Government figures indicate that more than 15,800 people have been directly affected by the earthquakes, a number that primarily reflects officially registered displaced residents. According to UNHCR spokesperson Carlotta Wolf, that figure is expected to continue rising as damage assessments continue.

Many newly displaced families are sheltering in parks, vehicles and temporary camps, particularly in La Guaira, where shortages of food and essential supplies remain widespread.

Disease Risks Grow in Crowded Shelters

Humanitarian organizations warned that inadequate sanitation is creating conditions for disease outbreaks.

Without reliable access to toilets, showers or hygiene supplies, displaced communities face elevated risks of preventable illnesses, including measles, particularly because vaccination coverage remains low.

Lindmeier also warned that conditions favor the spread of mosquito-borne and waterborne diseases such as dengue fever, yellow fever and malaria.

According to government data, the earthquakes damaged or compromised 38 hospitals across Venezuela.

The WHO has assessed 21 of those facilities. Three hospitals are no longer operational, while six others sustained significant structural damage. The remaining hospitals continue functioning but are struggling under heavy patient loads.

The crisis has also been worsened by shortages of medical personnel. WHO officials said numerous specialist physicians remain missing following the earthquakes, including healthcare professionals responsible for maternity services in La Guaira.

Years of migration have further weakened Venezuela’s healthcare workforce, with approximately 8 million people—including many doctors and nurses—having left the country in recent years.

Lindmeier said assessments revealed overcrowded emergency departments, growing surgical backlogs and deteriorating infection-control procedures.

International Aid Expands Across Disaster Zone

International humanitarian organizations have increased their presence in La Guaira and neighboring communities.

The Red Cross, the World Food Programme, and other relief organizations established temporary aid stations along public spaces, distributing food, medicines, hygiene products and protective equipment.

Long lines formed throughout Tuesday as residents sought emergency assistance under intense heat.

Families Search for Missing Relatives

Many Venezuelans continue searching for missing relatives as authorities have not released an official number of people still unaccounted for.

Families have increasingly relied on WhatsApp groups and nongovernmental online registries to report missing loved ones. One independent database listed more than 43,000 missing individuals.

During his daily televised briefing, Jorge Rodríguez reported that 1,943 people had died and 10,571 had been injured as of Tuesday. He urged the public to rely solely on official government information regarding casualties.

His figures, however, leave many people unaccounted for.

Rodríguez said officials estimate approximately 30,000 people were present in the hardest-hit areas of La Guaira when the earthquakes struck and that roughly 20,000 either escaped independently or were later rescued.

Meanwhile, NASA estimates that nearly 59,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed nationwide, suggesting the number of people affected extends into the hundreds of thousands.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday that approximately 680,000 children across Venezuela now require humanitarian assistance following the disaster.

Tags: Venezuela, La Guaira, Earthquake, World Health Organization, United Nations, UNICEF, UNHCR, Humanitarian Crisis, Healthcare, Red Cross, World Food Programme, Natural Disaster

The post Venezuela’s Healthcare System Near Breaking Point After Earthquakes, Aid Agencies Warn appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Grian Serrano, 46, was rescued alongside his 8-year-old son and his 69-year-old mother after their eight-story apartment building collapsed in the city of Caraballeda, one of the areas hardest hit by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes.

Bruised but alive, Serrano described their survival as extraordinary after the family became trapped beneath concrete and twisted steel.

“It is a miracle from God,” Serrano said, recalling how he dug through debris with his bare hands in complete darkness before two passersby helped free his son and mother.

Thousands Affected by Powerful Earthquakes

Government authorities said the twin earthquakes killed more than 1,700 people and injured over 5,000.

Hundreds of buildings either collapsed or sustained significant structural damage, with La Guaira suffering the greatest destruction. Damage was also reported across Caracas and the neighboring states of Carabobo, Miranda, Aragua and Yaracuy.

La Guaira, located about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Caracas, is one of Venezuela’s most strategically important states. It is home to the country’s main international airport and second-largest seaport, while much of its population depends on tourism, commerce and transportation-related industries.

Memories of the 1999 Vargas Tragedy Return

The recent disaster revived painful memories for Serrano of Dec. 15, 1999, when torrential rainfall triggered catastrophic floods and landslides that devastated the region.

He recalled being awakened by screams after a nearby river overflowed, watching from his apartment window as floodwaters swept away trees, enormous boulders and vehicles carrying people desperately trying to escape.

Serrano fled to the roof of his apartment building with his mother, sister and their household employee, fearing the structure would collapse under the force of the rushing water and debris.

When the rain finally eased, the family crossed mud-filled streets littered with fallen trees and rocks to reach relatives living nearby.

According to Ángel Rangel, who directed rescue operations as head of Venezuela’s Civil Protection agency during the disaster, the 1999 floods and landslides claimed 782 lives, left another 2,000 people missing and affected approximately 250,000 residents.

Expert Points to Geological Risks

Still shaken after surviving two major disasters in the same region, Serrano believes La Guaira is cursed.

“It isn’t normal for such horrible things to happen in the same place,” he said.

Disaster specialist Ángel Rangel offered a scientific explanation, saying many buildings in La Guaira were constructed on ground formed over centuries by sediment washed down from the surrounding Ávila mountain range.

He said such terrain presents significant risks for construction and requires strict compliance with seismic-resistant engineering standards introduced after the powerful 1967 earthquake that struck Caracas.

Many of the buildings that collapsed in the recent earthquakes were built during the 1970s, and authorities have not yet determined whether they complied with those engineering requirements.

Looking Ahead After Losing Everything

Having lost his apartment and nearly all of his belongings, Serrano said he remains uncertain about what the future holds for his family.

One decision, however, has already been made.

After surviving two of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in the same coastal region over a span of more than two decades, he says he will never again make La Guaira his home.

“That’s twice now,” Serrano said. “Sometimes I think if there’s a third time, it’s going to win the battle.”

Tags: Venezuela, La Guaira, Caracas, Grian Serrano, Earthquake, Vargas Tragedy, Natural Disaster, Ángel Rangel, Building Collapse, Civil Protection, Seismic Safety, Humanitarian Crisis

The post Venezuelan Survivor Escapes Two Major Disasters in La Guaira, Vows Never to Return appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

The Associated Press reported that a deportation flight from Miami landed in Venezuela on Wednesday carrying 146 Venezuelan nationals. According to ICE Flight Monitor, a project operated by Human Rights First that tracks deportation flights, the group included 19 women and seven children. After arriving, authorities transported them to a hotel in La Guaira, one of the regions hardest hit by the twin earthquakes later that day.

As rescue operations continue across the disaster zone, survivors say many deportees remain missing after the hotel collapsed during the earthquakes.

Survivors Describe Escaping Collapsed Hotel

Among those who survived was Lisbeth Portillo, 58, who said she escaped from beneath the rubble after the building collapsed.

Portillo told The Associated Press that she and roughly 20 other deportees walked several kilometers through devastated streets before reaching a Venezuelan National Guard facility, where they were finally able to contact family members.

“We walked about five kilometers, and I cried and cried… there was no communication,” she said.

Portillo described scenes of widespread destruction, recalling people fleeing collapsed buildings barefoot or with little clothing as they searched for safety.

She said surviving the collapse felt like a second chance at life.

“I was born again; God gave me a second chance,” Portillo said, adding that she remains traumatized by the experience.

Flight Arrived Only Hours Before Earthquakes

According to ICE Flight Monitor, the deportation flight departed from Miami and arrived in Venezuela only hours before the country was struck by twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude.

Portillo said deportees were taken to Hotel Santuario La Llanada, where officials conducted medical examinations and issued identification documents. They were told they would return to their homes the following day.

She recalled stepping onto a balcony shortly before the earthquake, noticing unusually dark skies and intense heat before returning to her room.

Moments later, the building began shaking violently.

“I started hearing ‘papa, papa papapa,’ and I saw the women next to me start to fall,” she said. “They were all screaming for help.”

A second major earthquake struck almost immediately afterward.

Portillo said she became trapped beneath a concrete beam but was eventually able to free herself as shifting debris created an escape route.

She suffered bruises throughout her body but survived.

Families Search for Missing Relatives

Many families are still searching for deportees who have not been located.

Liliana Rojas told Telemundo she has been unable to find her 33-year-old partner after learning he had been deported from an immigration detention center in El Paso, Texas.

She said officials confirmed only that he had been removed from the United States.

“No one is giving an answer about anything,” Rojas said.

Another survivor, Jenny Rodriguez, 24, also told Telemundo that she became trapped beneath the collapsed hotel before another deportee helped pull her from the rubble.

“I was trapped under the rubble,” she said, explaining that she managed to free one hand and grab the man’s trousers as he passed nearby. “Thanks to God—and to him—I was able to get out of there.”

Earthquake Adds to Deportees’ Ordeal

Portillo said she had entered the United States through the U.S.-Mexico border in November 2021 and had a pending asylum claim before being deported under the Trump administration’s expanded immigration enforcement efforts.

Unable to remember her children’s phone numbers after the earthquake, she called her husband, who remained in the United States.

“I said to him, ‘Cesar, I’m alive. Help me,'” Portillo recalled.

Her husband contacted their children, who reunited with her the following evening after she returned to Maracaibo.

“I was born that day; on the 24th, I was born again,” Portillo said after surviving both deportation and the deadly earthquake.

Questions Remain About Missing Deportees

The Venezuelan government has reported that more than 1,700 people were killed in the earthquakes, although search operations remain ongoing.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to The Associated Press’ request for information regarding the deportees who had been staying at the collapsed hotel.

Authorities have not released an official accounting of how many deportees remain missing, leaving families in both Venezuela and the United States awaiting further information as rescue teams continue searching through the rubble.

Tags: Venezuela, U.S. Deportations, Immigration, ICE, Miami, Earthquake, La Guaira, Human Rights First, Trump Administration, Missing Persons, Disaster Response, Asylum

The post More Than 100 Venezuelan Deportees Remain Missing After Earthquakes Strike Hours Following U.S. Flight appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.