The coastal state of La Guaira bordering the capital district of Caracas has been left in ruins following back-to-back earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday. With magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 these seismic events have caused catastrophic damage, making it one of the strongest quakes recorded in the country in the last century.
The scene is one of utter devastation. Hundreds of buildings have collapsed, leaving thousands of Venezuelans trapped beneath the rubble. The official death toll has reached at least 1,430 with the number of injured and missing continuing to rise. The UN estimates that around 50,000 people are unaccounted for, adding to the urgency of the rescue efforts.
The Race Against Time in La Guaira
Residents and families are desperately searching through the debris, using bare hands and shovels, while drones scan overhead for any signs of life. Every moment is crucial in the race to find survivors. The first 48 to 72 hours are critical for rescuing people alive, although this window can extend if those trapped have access to food and water.
National rescue teams are scarce, but international rescuers from MexicoSpain the US and the UK have arrived to join the efforts. However, the scale of the disaster means that more help is still needed. Traffic and crowds often hinder search operations, and soldiers and volunteers repeatedly call for silence to listen for signs of life under the debris.
People are doing whatever they can to help. Those with drones are using them to search for survivors or the deceased in hard-to-reach places. Families huddle around drone video feeds, searching for any familiar sight—a piece of clothing, a strand of hair, a belonging—that might bring news of a loved one.
The Human Toll and International Response
The human toll of the earthquakes is immense. Glendys Delgado, a resident of La Guaira, describes the overwhelming smell of the dead, which she fears will make her and the children sick. “There’s a smell… the dead are already being felt,” she says. Two buildings near her home have collapsed, but there has been no official help. “No one from the government has come here,” she adds, “but I thank God that people from Caracas have come to support us with food.”
Deiyer Gabril, 27, echoes the sentiment, stating that every area has been affected. “Macuto, Caribe… everything over there is bad. And we can all feel the odour,” he says. The situation is dire, and the need for immediate assistance is paramount.
On Friday authorities reported that 861 volunteers from Mexico the USEl SalvadorSwitzerlandColombia and other countries were in Venezuela, with more arriving. Interim President Rodríguez spoke with US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who reaffirmed their commitment to send rescue teams and aid supplies.
Stories of Resilience and Despair
Amidst the devastation, stories of resilience and despair emerge. A woman stands in front of her destroyed home, her legs still shaking. “We are waiting for humanitarian aid—we need them to come to help us,” she pleads. She had returned to her home to try to recover her washing machine, a stark reminder of the normalcy that has been shattered.
Alexandra Gabino, 28, faces a similar situation. She has two children, aged seven and two, and was in the car with her family when the earthquakes struck. “The children started screaming. We didn’t understand what was happening, and suddenly the building next door collapsed and my husband reversed the car,” she recounts. The four of them are now sleeping in their vehicle in a car park at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía. The airport is closed due to damage, but offers a flat, open place away from buildings where the family can take shelter.
Gabino waits outside their damaged building as her husband attempts to retrieve some belongings and documents from their fifteenth-floor flat. “The essentials,” she says, since it’s dangerous and they cannot risk trying to recover too much. “It’s painful to be left with nothing. My mother lost her home, we lost our home, we have nothing. You try to stay strong for your children,” she shares. And she adds something many feel: “Everyone says what matters is that you’re alive—and yes, but everything you’re going through hurts: seeing people suffer, hearing people scream, seeing children trapped, and the helplessness of not being able to do anything because you have to stay and look after your own children. You try to be strong, but it hurts.”
