Volunteer firefighters and local residents in La Guaira state are grappling with the psychological and physical aftermath of a double earthquake that struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026.
The disaster triggered extended search and rescue operations amid widespread structural destruction in coastal communities like Caraballeda.
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Rescuers Describe Harrowing Conditions
Daniela Villarroel, a 28-year-old nutritionist and volunteer firefighter with the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) Volunteer Fire Department, spent 18 days conducting rescue operations across affected areas.
Operating with self-funded equipment, she used her small frame to crawl through collapsed concrete structures to locate victims buried under rubble.
“As soon as they saw you, the survivors would take you by the hand to lead you to the place where their family members were left,” Villarroel said.
“When you looked into the structures, you saw skulls crushed by columns, trapped feet, people crushed in half, and fresh blood without seeing the person who had been crushed.”
During their shifts, the UCV volunteer team traveled 40 kilometers daily from their central station in Caracas to the disaster zone, working long hours under dangerous conditions.
Recurring aftershocks presented constant hazards during narrow crawl space extractions.
“Imagine that you are inside a tunnel, right there inside that little hole, and an aftershock occurs and the first thing you hear is people saying: ‘It’s shaking again.’
Then you see stones or dirt falling,” Villarroel said. “At that moment, the most important thing is psychological support for the survivor.
