Twin earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern coast on June 24, killing at least 2,295 people and leaving thousands of bodies unidentified as families search for remains. The hardest‑hit area, La Guaira, has struggled to collect, identify and preserve the dead.

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes collapsed buildings across the region, creating debris that has impeded recovery efforts. Rescue crews, government workers and civilians have worked around the clock to retrieve bodies from flattened structures.

Rosa López, a nurse from La Guaira, described how she helped her daughter locate her missing husband after seeing rows of bodies under a harsh sun. Her 25‑year‑old son‑in‑law, José Antonio Toledo, was found under the building where he worked as a security guard; his body was taken to a hospital and later to a parking lot before his family could identify it.

After identification, the family could not afford the $450 funeral home fee. Forensic technician Joel Mirabal, who has worked seven days straight, estimates that in 60‑70% of cases a relative or neighbor can recognize a body by tattoos, scars or clothing, but many victims are severely damaged.

Mirabal said the recovery effort may take up to three months, during which mass graves could be required. Private companies have donated cooling containers to preserve bodies, and volunteers, including a dog trainer who uses trained dogs for search work, have assisted in locating remains.

At a government‑run health facility in La Guaira, dozens of bodies were left on a sweltering parking lot while families waited to identify them. More than 200 bodies were reported to have been stored there at one point. Cars and trucks from funeral homes formed lines outside a makeshift morgue as people sought to claim loved ones.

Robert Rodríguez waited outside the La Guaira seaport for his son‑in‑law’s body, which had been recovered from a grocery store where he worked. He described seeing his daughter’s best friend’s remains and said the family planned to cremate the body and scatter the ashes on Isla de Margarita.

Authorities continue to pick up bodies from the affected areas, and officials anticipate that the number of unidentified dead will rise as the search proceeds.