CARACAS, June 27 - Venezuela's government announced on Saturday that 1,600 international rescue personnel had reached the country to support search efforts after twin earthquakes devastated parts of the nation earlier this week, killing more than 900 people. Officials said access to the state worst affected, La Guaira, has been tightened as authorities attempt to coordinate relief and security operations.
La Guaira, a coastal state known for its beaches and residential high-rise developments, has seen significant building damage. Government and local reports indicate that at least 100 buildings - many of them residential towers - were either destroyed or harmed by the tremors. Residents and volunteer responders have for several days reported shortages of heavy machinery and said official rescuers were not always present at all affected sites, particularly where neighbors and family members were digging through rubble by hand in search of missing people.
In an overnight address on state television, interim President Delcy Rodriguez said she had mobilized security and sanitary personnel to the area. Rodriguez reported that 14,000 members of the military and police were operating in La Guaira to maintain order and implement sanitary measures. She also said authorities were working to restore essential services.
Foreign ministry official Oliver Blanco provided additional details on international support, stating that "in recent hours, Venezuela has received 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 members of rescue teams, and over the next 24 hours, the arrival of 25 additional flights is expected." Blanco expressed gratitude to the international community for its support and solidarity during what he characterized as uncertain times for Venezuelans.
Rescue personnel have been directed to sites across La Guaira and in parts of the capital Caracas. Despite that deployment, some neighborhoods remained without a strong official presence as of Friday, leaving families and neighbors to continue local search efforts. Authorities closed the main road between La Guaira and nearby Caracas on Friday evening, citing heavy traffic that was impeding the swift passage of emergency vehicles and official rescue teams. Civilians not affiliated with official rescue organizations now require credentials to pass the roadblock, and witnesses were prevented by police from using the main road on Saturday morning. An older secondary route was congested with traffic as people attempted to travel to and from affected zones.
The government has acknowledged, and publicly thanked, civilians who have transported aid by motorcycle and other means to residents in need. State television broadcast scenes of government collections of thousands of pairs of shoes, clothing and other relief items being assembled for distribution.
Electric power has been variably affected in the quake zone. Near the epicenter in Moron, electricity remained down on Friday, while La Guaira was reported to be without power entirely. Rodriguez said that, overall, 60% of electricity had been restored elsewhere. Venezuela's electrical system, the government has indicated, is vulnerable after years of underinvestment and sanctions, and the grid experiences frequent, prolonged outages in some regions even in normal times.
There remains significant uncertainty about the numbers of missing and trapped people. The government has stated that hundreds are missing or trapped. Separately, an opposition-promoted website lists more than 54,000 people as unaccounted for. The U.S. Geological Survey provided an estimate that more than 10,000 deaths were possible from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, a figure that, if realized, would rank the events among the deadliest in Latin America in the past century. The United Nations estimated that nearly 7 million people could be affected and put direct damage at about $6.7 billion.
Officials have warned that the humanitarian and political consequences of the disaster could be substantial. The government itself has noted potential political implications for Rodriguez, who has presented herself as an agent of change even though she previously served as vice president to Nicolas Maduro, who the article states was ousted and arrested by the U.S. in January.
Rodriguez has engaged directly with international counterparts on response coordination. She spoke by phone with U.S. leaders, after meeting with U.S. Northern Command and disaster experts, and the United States announced it was mobilizing $150 million in aid while easing sanctions. The U.S. military dispatched two ships and indicated that helicopters and aircraft would support rescue efforts.
Among the international contingents working in La Guaira is a team from El Salvador. El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, publicly celebrated several rescues, including the retrieval of a 15-year-old girl.
Security concerns have accompanied the relief operations. Witness accounts describe incidents of looting at multiple sites in La Guaira. Authorities have responded with a combination of checkpoints, credential requirements for access and increased patrols by security forces.
Venezuela's oil sector has so far reported limited operational impact from the earthquakes. Oil Minister Paula Henao said on Friday that national oil production had not been affected and that fuel distribution would be guaranteed. Oil executives and workers said the sector had escaped major infrastructure damage, according to official statements.
As foreign rescue flights continue to arrive and national security forces concentrate resources in the hardest-hit areas, coordination of search activities, restoration of power and controlled access to damaged zones remain priorities for Venezuelan authorities and their international partners.
Key points
- 1,600 foreign rescuers have arrived on 17 flights, with roughly 25 additional flights expected, to assist in search-and-rescue operations in earthquake-hit areas.
- Authorities deployed 14,000 military and police personnel to La Guaira to patrol affected zones and implement sanitary measures; access between La Guaira and Caracas has been restricted and civilians now require credentials to pass roadblocks.
- The earthquakes damaged or destroyed at least 100 buildings in La Guaira, left large areas without power, and left thousands unaccounted for according to an opposition-promoted website listing more than 54,000 people as missing.
Risks and uncertainties
- Incomplete information on the number of missing and trapped persons - the government reports hundreds unaccounted for while an opposition-linked list cites over 54,000 people as missing.
- Ongoing limitations in electricity supply and an already-vulnerable national power grid could hamper rescue, recovery and sanitation efforts in affected regions.
- Restricted access and heavy traffic on key routes into La Guaira risk delaying the movement of emergency vehicles and heavy equipment needed for search operations.