The death toll from two consecutive earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 2,645, with more than 12,600 injured. Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates that up to 50,000 people may be missing. Families of victims are calling for an accelerated recovery of the bodies as hopes of finding survivors grow dim.
On 4 July 2026, AFP reported that the death toll from two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela on 24 June has increased to at least 2,645, with over 12,600 injured, according to the latest official figures released on Friday. Additionally, a large number of people are still unaccounted for.
The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, caused dozens of residential buildings to collapse, especially in the coastal city of La Guaira north of Caracas, the hardest-hit area. Although the government has not officially released the number of missing persons, the United Nations estimates that as many as 50,000 may be missing, leaving many families anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones amid faint hopes of finding survivors.
Nine days after the disaster, multiple rescue teams have begun scaling back search efforts for survivors because the critical period for rescuing people trapped under rubble is typically within the first 72 hours. Although some miraculous rescues have still occurred this week, many citizens have criticized the government's response, saying rescue teams arrived late, and in the initial stages, neighbors, relatives, and volunteers were the ones digging through debris with their bare hands to find victims.
However, Delcy Rodriguez, the interim president of Venezuela who took office after Nicolás Maduro was captured in a U.S. military operation six months ago, insists the government has acted fully and accuses the critical media coverage of distorting the facts.