Strong aftershock deepens Venezuela's earthquake crisis as death toll exceeds 1,700

Five days after two massive earthquakes tore through northern Venezuela, killing at least 1,719 people and leaving tens of thousands unaccounted for, a fresh tremor sent residents fleeing into the streets in panic. The aftershock struck early Monday morning with a force that seismologists measured differently depending on who was counting—the US Geological Survey called it 4.6 magnitude, while Colombia's survey registered 5.1. Either way, it was strong enough to rattle Caracas and La Guaira, the devastated port city where rescue workers were still clawing through rubble hoping to find survivors.

Amarelis Mendoza, who lives in El Hatillo in Caracas, woke to the shaking and thought for a moment she was back in Wednesday's original disaster. "It felt almost as strong as Wednesday's earthquake, even though I hadn't felt the other aftershocks," she said. In the hardest-hit neighborhoods—Altamira, San Bernardino, and others—people who had been sleeping in makeshift shelters and tents along sidewalks poured back onto the streets. The metro shut down several lines as a precaution. At the Rita apartment building in San Bernardino, a 22-unit structure that had collapsed entirely, rescue operations halted for an hour and a half.

The official word from Jorge Rodríguez, leader of Venezuela's national assembly, was that no new damage had been reported. But the trembling earth and the wail of earthquake sirens told a different story to people already living on the edge of terror. Some businesses in the capital began reopening as the new week started, yet the number of people seeking refuge in parks and public squares only grew. Hundreds of displaced families had set up camp in Parque del Este, a 200-acre park on the east side of Caracas. Katiuska Asuaje, 35, had fled her home in the La Cruz sector with four children after a concrete roof slab came loose. "Life is worth more than anything else," she said. Maryuri Pérez and Jaime Blanco, both in their late 30s and early 40s, had nothing left to return to—their shack in west Caracas had collapsed. "What we need most is a tent or at least a mattress to sleep on," Pérez said. Neighbors had been bringing food, but there was nowhere to sleep.

The international machinery of disaster response had begun to turn. Twenty-seven countries deployed more than 2,000 rescue personnel and over 160 search dogs. The United States repaired one of Venezuela's two main ports—La Guaira—allowing the USS Fort Lauderdale to deliver supplies and equipment. The UN coordinator for Venezuela, Gianluca Rampolla del Tindaro, acknowledged that the death toll would likely climb beyond the official count. The organization had provided 10,000 body bags, though Rampolla del Tindaro said he hoped the final number would be smaller. "It's very sad, and we truly hope that actually the number is going to be smaller than that," he said. The UN migration agency estimated that up to 6.76 million people could be affected and would need shelter, water, sanitation, healthcare, and relief supplies.

On Sunday, rescue workers had pulled a man and his teenage son alive from the rubble in La Guaira state—a moment of hope in an increasingly grim operation. But a Salvadoran rescue worker acknowledged the brutal arithmetic of time. "At this point, they are probably dead bodies," he told reporters. "Thanks to God maybe we can find people still alive." The critical 72-hour window for finding trapped victims had long since closed. Tens of thousands remained missing.

The twin earthquakes that struck Wednesday—measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude—had injured 5,034 people and badly damaged nearly 800 buildings. But the official numbers masked a deeper crisis. Venezuela, already hollowed out by more than a decade of economic collapse that had gutted hospitals and public services and driven millions to emigrate, was now facing a bill the UN estimated at $6.7 billion for physical repairs alone—equivalent to 6 percent of the country's entire GDP. The US doubled its aid commitment to $300 million, pledging funds for emergency medical care, food, water, sanitation, and shelter.

As rescue operations continued, looting broke out in La Guaira, with residents ransacking pharmacies, supermarkets, and other businesses. The authorities barred international journalists from the collapse zones for 48 hours, citing security concerns. In some areas, frustration with the government's response boiled over. In the Tanaguarena area of La Guaira state, a man shouted at soldiers: "The country needs you. Put down your weapon." He was urging them to trade their guns for picks and shovels. Meanwhile, María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition figure in exile, announced she would return to the country "very soon." "The time has come," she told Fox News. "We need to be together, to embrace, to grieve and mourn together, but also to give each other strength at this difficult time."