Double Earthquake in Venezuela that Evokes a Massacre: Death Toll Rises to 3 Bin 685

Venezuela is facing profound grief and devastation following the destructive double earthquake that occurred on 24 Haziran. According to the official toll, the number of those who lost their lives has reached 3 bin 685, while 16 bin 740 people were injured to various degrees. Data obtained a day after the incident indicated that 157 people were missing, but the authorities' failure to update this figure drew a massive public backlash. A volunteer civil initiative called 'Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela' records that more than approximately 30 bin people are still unaccounted for, and their conditions cannot be confirmed. The massive collapse of the country's infrastructure makes search and rescue operations increasingly difficult with each passing day.

As the scale of the crisis transcended to the international arena, the United Nations and many countries mobilized to provide emergency support to the region. United Nations Under-Secretary-General for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Tom Fletcher, arrived in Venezuela and held coordination meetings aimed at healing the wounds of the double earthquake. UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric announced that the fund allocated for the Venezuela Humanitarian Response Plan was increased from 115 million dollars to 300 million dollars. China delivered the first batch of medical and shelter equipment, comprising 80 tons of emergency humanitarian relief supplies, while France delivered 44 tons. The US government stated that aid deliveries are reliable and rapid, emphasizing that Washington's efforts are planned to shift from the search and rescue phase to the reconstruction process.

Search and rescue operations in the field have reached a massive scale due to the high number of risky structures in the region. According to official data, 29 bin 567 military and security personnel are currently on active duty in the field, supported by 28 bin 362 volunteers. A specialized group of 200 miners, who arrived in the area to contribute to the search efforts and worked intensively to recover bodies, was also included in the operations. In statements made by the authorities, it was reported that a total of 856 buildings were damaged and 190 buildings completely collapsed. Furthermore, according to government data, 14 bin 634 people are currently being sheltered in 87 temporary tent camps.

The secondary effects of the disaster continue to be a major source of concern for the local population, primarily due to ongoing seismic activity. According to information obtained from government sources, a total of 1 bin 76 aftershocks have been recorded in the region since the main tremors. The Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis) announced to the public that ten more tremors with magnitudes varying between 2.6 and 4.0 were experienced in the last twenty-four hours. In the face of the deep and devastating effects of the earthquakes, Venezuela interim President Delcy Rodríguez requested expert teams by asking for structural inspection and engineering support from countries experienced in earthquakes, such as Japan, Peru, and Chile. The constantly recurring aftershocks pose a significant danger to the rescue teams operating in the field, as they increase the risk of collapsed damaged buildings.

The humanitarian tragedy experienced in the region also brings concerns regarding the situation of disadvantaged groups and foreign nationals. The Portuguese government officially confirmed that 100 Portuguese citizens, including 18 children, lost their lives in the earthquake, and 59 people are still missing. On the other hand, while Haiti extended its hand to provide medical support by sending a 31-person health mission to the region, Ecuador also decided to deliver humanitarian aid to the victims despite having severed its diplomatic relations since 2024. Human rights defenders highlighted that prisons holding political prisoners were heavily damaged by the destruction, and the inmates' basic needs, such as food and water, were completely neglected by the government. Recent data published by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) classified the situation as a 'severe humanitarian emergency,' stating that approximately 36 bin 700 pregnant women were affected by the disaster and that 4 bin of these mothers would give birth next month in the midst of this major humanitarian crisis.