By Dwayne Ferreira
Venezuela earthquake crisis leaves more than 1,700 dead as hospitals strain, aid slows and anger grows over the official response.
The Venezuela earthquake crisis has become one of the country’s worst emergencies in years, after powerful twin quakes killed more than 1,700 people, injured thousands and left entire communities digging through rubble as aftershocks and anger spread.
The disaster has become a national test for acting President Delcy Rodríguez. Her government now faces pressure to prove that it can direct rescue teams, restore basic services and reach desperate families still waiting for help.
The back-to-back earthquakes, measured at 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, hit Venezuela’s central-northern region last week. La Guaira, on the Caribbean coast, remains among the worst-hit areas. Caracas and nearby communities also suffered heavy shaking, damaged buildings, displaced families and unstable debris that has slowed rescue work. Reuters reported that Venezuela’s official toll had reached 1,719 dead, 5,034 injured and 15,866 left homeless by Monday.
The threat has not passed. A 4.6 magnitude aftershock struck near Caraballeda early Monday, forcing residents and rescue workers to run again. AP reported that the government said Venezuela had recorded more than 600 aftershocks since the original earthquakes, deepening fear across already traumatised communities.
Venezuela Earthquake Crisis Tests Relief Response
Across the damaged areas, survivors say the official response has fallen short of the disaster’s scale. In El Junquito, a mountainous area west of Caracas, residents told Reuters they had seen few public officials and had begun depending on farmers and neighbours for basic supplies. Some families are now sleeping in tents because their homes and businesses no longer appear safe.
That anger is turning political. The government has promoted its rescue operations and urged citizens to rely only on official information. However, survivors on the ground say they need faster debris clearance, urgent building inspections and safer shelter arrangements.
In La Guaira, authorities said they had opened 15 shelters and 50 provisional camps. Officials also said they had restored electricity to most of the hardest-hit state. Still, the number of displaced families, damaged structures and missing residents continues to overwhelm the response.
Hospitals Struggle As Patients Keep Arriving
The health system has become one of the biggest concerns. The World Health Organization said Venezuela’s hospitals are under severe pressure after the earthquakes damaged some medical centres and left others short of staff.
WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said at least three health centres suffered critical damage, while six others were damaged or only partly functional. A survey of 21 health facilities found overcrowding, chaotic patient flow and growing surgical backlogs.
The WHO also warned that displaced families could face disease outbreaks, including yellow fever and dengue. That risk is serious because thousands of people are now living in temporary shelters, often with limited sanitation and poor access to medical care.
The crisis has also exposed a dangerous gap in maternity services. Several healthcare workers who specialise in maternity care in La Guaira remain missing. The WHO described the situation as a critical gap in obstetric care.
Search Teams Race Against Time
Rescue teams are still searching for people trapped beneath collapsed buildings, but the chance of finding survivors is falling with every hour. Reuters reported that citizen-run missing persons websites listed about 45,000 people as unaccounted for, though it remains unclear how many remain trapped under rubble.
Even so, moments of hope have cut through the grief. One of the most dramatic rescues involved 21-year-old Aaron Levi, who was pulled alive from a collapsed building in La Guaira after spending 106 hours under rubble. Officials said the rescue operation lasted 43 hours.
International aid has started to arrive. Venezuela has received support from 30 countries, including supplies, rescue workers and search-and-rescue dogs. Reuters reported that more than 3,600 rescue and support workers and 118 search dogs had joined the emergency effort.
U.S. Deportees Among Those Still Missing
The Venezuela earthquake crisis has also drawn attention in the United States because more than 100 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. shortly before the earthquakes are missing.
AP reported that a deportation flight from Miami reached Venezuela hours before the quakes. The flight carried 146 Venezuelans, including 19 women and seven children. Survivors said authorities took the deportees to a hotel in La Guaira, one of the areas worst hit by the earthquakes.
One survivor, Lisbeth Portillo, said she escaped the rubble with about 20 other deportees before walking through damaged streets to look for help. Families of others on the flight are still searching for answers.
Political Pressure Rises Over Relief Efforts
The disaster is unfolding during a sensitive political moment for Venezuela. Rodríguez’s government already faces scrutiny over its legitimacy, its ties with Washington and its ability to manage a country still recovering from years of economic collapse and political turmoil.
Opposition leader María Corina Machado, who is currently in Panama, said the Venezuelan government blocked her return as she tried to come back and assist victims. Reuters reported that Machado said she was willing to speak to anyone necessary to coordinate help for Venezuelans.
The government, meanwhile, has accused critics of using the disaster to spread misinformation. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez urged citizens not to follow rumours or social media claims. He said official information was the only reliable source.
Oil Sector Holds As Power Problems Continue
The earthquakes have also disrupted parts of Venezuela’s industrial system. Reuters reported that power outages stopped a refinery, a petrochemical complex and other plants in the central region from restarting on Monday. However, industry sources said oil production and exports remained normal, while state oil company PDVSA did not expect domestic fuel shortages.
That matters because Venezuela’s oil sector remains central to the national economy and to the country’s relationship with foreign powers. A prolonged disruption could worsen shortages, slow aid delivery and increase pressure on the government.
A Humanitarian Emergency With No Clear End
For ordinary Venezuelans, survival is now the immediate concern. Families need shelter, medicine, water, food, electricity and reliable information. Rescue workers need safe access to collapsed buildings. Hospitals need staff and supplies. Communities need to know whether they can safely re-enter damaged homes.
The earthquakes have done more than destroy buildings. They have exposed weaknesses in Venezuela’s emergency systems, the fragility of its public health network and the deep mistrust between the government and many citizens.
As aftershocks continue and the search for the missing goes on, Venezuela is fighting two crises at once. One is the natural disaster that struck without warning. The other is the political and institutional crisis that may decide how many people receive help before it is too late.
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