A Push to Identify Bodies as Deaths Multiply in Venezuela After Twin Earthquakes
Forensic teams say 60% to 70% of bodies can be identified by relatives or neighbors as officials struggle to preserve the dead.
- Following the June 24 twin earthquakes, families in La Guaira, Venezuela, are rushing to identify loved ones among at least 2,295 dead. Emergency workers gathered bodies in a hospital parking lot on Saturday, June 27, amid an overwhelming recovery crisis.
- Forensic technician Joel Mirabal has worked seven days straight to recover bodies from massive collapses beneath debris. Crews previously left dozens of victims in a sweltering hospital parking lot, though authorities now manage a makeshift morgue at the La Guaira seaport.
- Robert Rodriguez waited at the seaport to identify his son-in-law, Rafael Alvarado, as families face extreme financial pressure including $450 funeral fees. The family plans to cremate Alvarado and scatter his ashes on Isla de Margarita.
- Cooling containers donated by private companies help preserve bodies at the seaport, but Mirabal noted victims "don't look even 10%" like themselves. Officials warn that mass graves will likely be necessary to accommodate the dead as the toll rises.
- With thousands of ordinary Venezuelans participating, recovery teams anticipate spending up to three months collecting bodies from debris. Mirabal finds solace in his 12 dogs, calling the tragedy "not easy at all to witness the suffering and tragedy of your fellow human beings.
64 Articles
64 Articles
At least 2,295 killed in Venezuela twin quakes: Push to identify bodies continues
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela: Speaking in a hushed voice, Rosa López recalled how she had to sidestep the rows of bodies lying under a harsh sun as she helped her daughter search for her missing husband. Even her years working as a nurse did not prepare her for the sight of the dozens of dead wrapped in sheets or blankets."We saw a lot of bodies that had not yet been identified,” López said.The rush is on across La Guaira, the state on Venezuela’s north…
The earthquake in Venezuela has remained in vilo in the north of the country when a week has passed since the double earthquake that devastated the region. Since then more than 680 replicas have been recorded, while the emergency teams continue to work among the collapsed buildings to locate survivors and recover the people who are still missing.The earthquake balance in the north of Venezuela continues to worsen.The authorities raised last nigh…
The number of people killed by earthquakes of 7.2 magnitude and 7.5 in the northern part of Venezuela on June 24th is at least 2,595, while the number...
Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced that the death toll from the earthquakes that struck on June 24 has risen to 2,595.
The president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, reported that the number of deaths from the earthquakes that occurred on June 24, 2026 officially rose to 2,595 people.In a press conference, Delcy Rodríguez pointed out that the authorities are carrying out a thorough review of the data in order to have correct figures of people who died from the earthquakes.The above, after 5 people who were on the death list in Venezuela were found alive …
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