The UN has announced an agreement with Venezuelan authorities to acquire 10,000 body bags to address needs following last week’s double earthquake, which, according to the latest official figures, has claimed the lives of more than 1,700 people.
Gianluca Rampolla, the humanitarian coordinator in Caracas, noted that while there is currently no confirmed figure for the missing, the UN and Venezuelan authorities agreed to acquire 10,000 body bags in anticipation of a potential rise in the death toll, the UN reported.
The latest official figures place the death toll at 1,719, with over 5,000 injured and approximately 12,000 displaced. About 2,500 structures have been affected—many completely collapsed—Rampolla noted during a press conference.
Although search and rescue operations typically focus on the first 72 hours, teams have decided to extend them because they continue to receive indications of trapped individuals and are still locating survivors, he explained.
“We continue to operate in a high-risk environment,” Rampolla emphasized, noting that since the two initial earthquakes, around 500 aftershocks have been recorded—including a 5.2 magnitude tremor early Monday morning—while a tropical storm threatens to bring heavy rains to the affected areas. Caracas has confirmed more than 600 “seismic events” and an even higher number of aftershocks.
The UN is setting up three care centers in La Guaira for families who have lost their homes. These centers will provide medical care, food, water, sanitation, protection, and psychosocial support.
Vanessa May, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Venezuela, explained that many people have lost all sense of stability. “Going from having a house—having a home—to being in a shelter or temporary accommodation will not be easy,” she noted.
That is why emotional support is just as necessary as food, water, or medical care. “There are people who need a hug,” she recounted. Many families are awaiting news of their loved ones, while others already know they remain trapped under the rubble.
Once search operations conclude, the UN and its partners will conduct rapid assessments to pinpoint needs, including those of the elderly and people with disabilities. The next phase will involve debris removal and early recovery efforts, with a focus on damage to schools and hospitals.
May pointed out that reconstruction will require working with authorities to determine where displaced families can live and conducting soil studies prior to any relocation. “This is going to take time,” she warned.
