US deportees caught in Venezuela earthquake aftermath, survivors crawl from rubble

Devastating twin earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, just hours after a flight carrying 146 Venezuelan deportees from the United States landed in Caracas. The deportees, including women and children, were transported to the Hotel Santuario in the coastal city of La Guaira, which was among the areas hardest hit by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes. This seismic event, described as Venezuela's most significant in over a century, led to the hotel's collapse, trapping many of the recently arrived individuals under the debris.

In the chaotic aftermath, families are desperately searching for their loved ones, with over 100 of the deportees feared dead or still missing days after the disaster. Survivors recounted harrowing escapes, some crawling from the rubble and navigating damaged streets in search of aid. Across Venezuela, the death toll has tragically surpassed 1,700, and is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue in the extensively damaged regions of La Guaira and Greater Caracas.