Venezuela Earthquake Survivors Await Missing Loved Ones Amid Aid Shortages

More than seven weeks after twin earthquakes devastated La Guaira, Venezuela, thousands of relatives continue to camp beside collapsed buildings in their desperate search for missing loved ones. Despite harsh conditions and dwindling aid, families refuse to leave without answers.

Miriam Villalta, 50, traveled from Peru after failing to reach her son, Greiber Gómez, when the earthquakes struck on June 24. She now lives in a tent near the Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi housing complex, where Tower D collapsed. "I'm not leaving here until my son is found," Villalta said.

Women are disproportionately leading the search and relief efforts. They clear rubble by hand, coordinate aid distribution, and visit morgues to identify bodies. Organizations such as UN Women note that women often shoulder a disproportionate burden of unpaid caregiving during humanitarian crises.

Aid has become increasingly scarce. Villalta reported that donations, including food, arrive only at night or not at all. "The only people who have shown up are his friends," she said, noting the absence of institutional support for her son's search.

Official government figures as of July 22 reported more than 5,300 deaths, 16,740 injuries, and nearly 18,000 homeless. However, the government has not released data on the number of missing persons. The United Nations initially estimated approximately 50,000 people were missing, while independent initiatives documented around 40,000.

Daniela Castro, 28, remains at the ruins of the Opppe-26 building in Caraballeda, searching for her mother and two nephews. Although she believes her mother is deceased, Castro insists on staying to recover the body. "I won't have peace until I take her out of the rubble," she said.

At least 16 Opppe buildings in La Guaira collapsed or were left uninhabitable. The search continues as hope for survivors fades, replaced by the need for closure and identification of the dead.