How Venezuela and Colombia faced disaster

Two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela and Colombia within weeks of each other, profoundly exposing stark differences in government response abilities. In Venezuela, civilians spearheaded rescue efforts after June's twin 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes, grappling with confusion, limited equipment, and delayed official orders. Meanwhile, Colombia's rescue operations benefited from a coordinated response from at least a dozen official entities, leading to hundreds of rescues within the crucial 72-hour window.

Venezuela's twin quakes claimed at least 6,300 lives, while Colombia's quake, though similar in magnitude, resulted in 285 deaths with hundreds still missing. Soil instability and shallow tremors likely exacerbated Venezuela's toll, while Colombia's deeper quake struck much harder. However, Venezuela has long faced shortages, hyperinflation and a brain drain due to U.S. sanctions, corruption and mismanagement. The interim government has defended its response, but aid workers have criticized it.

In La Guaira, locals dug through rubble with bare hands, buckets and sticks, while international rescue teams and a small contingent of federal officials provided aid. Colombia's Torres del Limonar collapse led to a rapid, organized response from local firefighters, police, navy rescuers and other official entities. Humanitarian workers in Colombia commended the efficient organization, but raised concerns about neglected areas like the Pacific province of Choco, which already faced humanitarian needs due to state neglect and violence.