Overview
- Two powerful quakes with reported magnitudes of about 7.2 and 7.5 struck northern Venezuela on June 24 with epicenters near Morón and La Guaira, causing immediate collapses in coastal towns and parts of Caracas.
- Official counts from the government place the death toll in the low thousands and list more than 10,000 injured, while UN agencies and independent assessments report far higher numbers of missing people, with some estimates near 50,000.
- More than two dozen countries have sent search-and-rescue teams, trained dogs and equipment, and teams have recovered survivors, but rescuers say the critical window for finding live victims is closing.
- Widespread building collapse exposed structural failures and poor maintenance in many damaged blocks, and early UN and satellite estimates put direct economic losses at about US$6.7 billion, indicating a long, costly rebuilding task.
- Humanitarian agencies warn the response is overwhelmed as displaced families face shortages of water, food and medical supplies, security forces have restricted access to some zones and authorities have detained officers accused of appropriating valuables from rubble.