Families Refuse to Leave Collapsed Buildings Amid Venezuela Earthquake Crisis

Five days after two powerful earthquakes devastated large parts of Venezuela, the atmosphere in Caracas is heavy with the scent of death, yet many families trapped near collapsed buildings refuse to leave. Despite the critical three-day window for rescue having passed, relatives continue to wait by the rubble, hoping to find survivors. A recent 4.9 magnitude aftershock forced frightened residents to flee into the streets in their pajamas.

Near the destroyed "Rita" apartment building in the San Bernardino neighborhood, a whiteboard lists the eight floors, family names, and official casualty figures: 12 dead, 3 rescued, and 20 still missing inside. No one has been found in the past two days, but families like Migrop Hera, who waits with her daughter and grandson, cling to hope. Hera tearfully expressed her desperation but said she believes her son is still alive and waiting for her.

Rescue efforts are becoming increasingly rare. Ecuadorian rescuers managed to save a 12-year-old boy from the ruins in La Guaira state on Monday, but chances of finding more survivors diminish as five days pass. Many buildings that remain standing show deep cracks and are marked with a "traffic light" system by authorities: green for safe, yellow for moderate damage, and red for unsafe.

Solidaridad Campus Aprisio, 78, waited outside her Caracas home after the neighboring "La Petunia" building completely collapsed. She described being injured and alone, yet she longs to return despite the dangers. The official death toll exceeds 1,700 with over 5,000 injured, but the US Geological Survey estimates tens of thousands may have died, figures unlikely to be fully disclosed due to government opacity.

Thousands of displaced residents crowd temporary shelters and undamaged schools, with 432 schools in Caracas alone damaged and classes suspended. The local system, already weakened by brain drain and sanctions, struggles to provide basic shelter and protection, leaving many to sleep on the streets or helplessly wait by their ruined homes. The current crisis echoes the 1999 La Guaira tragedy, when the government also concealed the true scale of the disaster.