Venezuela quake death toll reaches 4,490 as rescue efforts continue
According to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, the number of injured remains at 16,740, while rescue teams have successfully rescued 6,462 people from the affected areas. Officials said 17,907 people have been left homeless after the devastating earthquakes, which caused widespread destruction across several communities.
One of the most heartbreaking stories is that of 17-year-old Maria Alejandra Sanz, who survived after spending nearly 17 hours trapped beneath the rubble of her collapsed apartment building in La Guaira.
Sanz said she survived by drinking her own urine while waiting for rescuers to reach her. She eventually escaped after finding a small opening in the debris and calling for help. The tragedy claimed the lives of four of her close friends, who had been practising for their high school graduation performance just before the earthquakes struck.
Sanz said she continues to struggle with painful questions about whether her friends could have survived if rescue teams had arrived sooner. She described the loss as something that will remain with her forever.
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The father of one of the victims, Isa Campos, criticised the slow rescue response, saying emergency teams and military personnel arrived several days after the disaster. Isa remained trapped beneath the rubble and died before heavy rescue equipment reached the site.
A civil engineer from Colombia, Andres Ganscka, travelled to Venezuela after seeing videos of the disaster on social media. He brought rescue equipment at his own expense and helped coordinate volunteer rescue efforts for several days.
Officials said thousands of families remain displaced as rescue and recovery operations continue. Authorities are also working to provide shelter and humanitarian assistance to those affected. The June 24 earthquakes are among the deadliest natural disasters in Venezuela’s recent history, leaving thousands of families mourning their loved ones while survivors continue rebuilding their lives.
