Venezuelans search for missing as earthquake death toll climbs
Key takeaways
- The death toll from the twin earthquakes in Venezuela continued to rise on Friday, with at least 920 dead and more than 51,000 missing, as distress grew among Venezuelans.
- By: FRANCE 24 People search for victims amid the rubble of buildings that collapsed following the earthquakes that struck the country in La Guaira on June 26, 2026.
- The lack of help compounded families' desperation as the pressure to find buried survivors increased with each passing hour.
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The death toll from the twin earthquakes in Venezuela continued to rise on Friday, with at least 920 dead and more than 51,000 missing, as distress grew among Venezuelans. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck late Wednesday left a landscape of devastation, with countless collapsed buildings, particularly in La Guaira, a coastal town near Caracas, where residents are criticising the government's lack of action in rescue operations.
By: FRANCE 24 People search for victims amid the rubble of buildings that collapsed following the earthquakes that struck the country in La Guaira on June 26, 2026. © Maxwell Briceno, Reuters Venezuelans took the search for missing loved ones into their own hands Friday in the aftermath of back-to-back earthquakes, citing the scarcity of government rescuers, as the human toll of the disaster climbed to at least 920 dead and more than 51,000 missing.
Citizens digging through the rubble of their homes said they have seen few state rescue teams in the areas hit hardest by the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck late Wednesday, despite authorities projecting an image of a robust government response.