Venezuela Volunteers Search for Survivors After Twin Earthquakes

Thousands of volunteers, joined by overseas teams, have poured into Venezuela’s northern coast after twin earthquakes struck the region last week, creating a massive search‑and‑rescue effort amid widespread devastation. The tremors, which rattled the coastal state of La Guaira, left buildings collapsed and many residents trapped under rubble. Humanitarian agencies and local authorities have mobilized to locate survivors, with teams working around the clock to clear debris and provide medical assistance.

Among the volunteers is 24‑year‑old Israel Rivas, a mechanic and budding photographer from the industrial city of San Félix. Rivas saved money for a new camera lens but redirected it to aid the disaster response, embarking on a 12‑hour bus ride to La Guaira. Standing outside the collapsed Residencia La Gabarra—a 12‑storey apartment block that turned into a pile of reinforced concrete—Rivas described the toll of the crisis on his own well‑being, noting that he could not eat or sleep while his compatriots suffered. He said, “I couldn’t eat well. I couldn’t sleep well, knowing that my brothers and sisters from this country are dying, so I … came here and I’m doing the best I can.”

The volunteer mobilization continues as international aid arrives and local teams work to clear the rubble. With the scale of the damage still mounting, authorities urge continued support for search and rescue operations, emphasizing that every life saved is a testament to the resilience of the Venezuelan people.