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VENEZUELA is facing a worsening humanitarian catastrophe after two powerful earthquakes struck in quick succession, with the official death toll rising to 1,430 as rescue teams race against time to locate tens of thousands of missing people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Authorities said families have reported at least 68,900 people missing, with the largest concentrations in the coastal state of La Guaira and the capital, Caracas, according to Fox 11.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than six million people could be affected by the disaster, making it one of the country's most severe humanitarian emergencies in recent history.
International assistance has begun arriving through the heavily damaged Simón Bolívar International Airport, where emergency operations are gradually being restored.
Senior US State Department official Jeremy Lewin said one runway at the airport is now operational, allowing relief flights carrying rescue personnel, mobile hospitals and humanitarian supplies to reach the country.
The US military is coordinating incoming aid flights, while a US Navy transport vessel has anchored offshore to receive survivors requiring urgent medical treatment.
As rescue efforts continue, public anger has intensified over what many residents describe as an inadequate government response.
Survivors accused soldiers, firefighters and police of being overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster and criticised authorities for focusing on public appearances rather than rescue operations.
"They came to eat arepas and take pictures to make it look like they were working," said local resident Yeison Marcano.
"They didn't even get their uniforms dirty like we have. We've been here for three days."
In the coastal town of Caraballeda, residents said they discovered numerous bodies, including newborn babies, that had yet to be recovered by emergency services.
"At 8 p.m. yesterday there were people alive down there, and they haven't bothered to rescue them," said resident Mileidy Romero.
"What are they waiting for?"
The full extent of the disaster remains uncertain, with thousands still believed to be trapped beneath collapsed structures and casualty figures expected to rise as search operations continue.
Questions also remain over the government's ability to distribute international aid effectively after reports that military checkpoints have restricted access to some of the worst-affected areas and required special permits for entry.
The disaster presents an immediate and formidable challenge for Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, whose administration is now confronting mounting domestic criticism while overseeing one of the largest relief and recovery operations in the country's history. - June 28, 2026
