Venezuelans in Colombia scramble to send aid as earthquakes death toll increases

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. The Americas Venezuelans in Colombia scramble to send aid as earthquakes death toll increases June 27, 20265:00 AM ET By Manuel Rueda People unload donated goods from a car marked "For Venezuela" as humanitarian aid to be sent to Venezuela following deadly earthquakes, in Bogota on June 26, 2026. Esteban Vega La-Rotta/ via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Esteban Vega La-Rotta/ via Getty Images BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Three days after a powerful double earthquake struck Venezuela, President Delcy Rodríguez has pledged to save "as many people as possible" and called for unity as the death toll from the country's worst earthquakes in more than a century continues to rise. The Americas Venezuela is reeling from earthquakes, as the rising death toll nears 1,000 More than 900 people are dead and over 3,000 injured, according to authorities, with many still unaccounted for.

Thousands more have been left homeless, with survivors sleeping in public squares, shelters or parks. But on the ground, frustration is growing over what many see as a slow and disjointed response. International teams are arriving, but limited equipment and an overstretched health system are slowing the effort.

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In several hard-hit areas, there are still no heavy rescue tools, with residents forced to dig through rubble by hand. Sponsor Message In Colombia, home to the largest Venezuelan population abroad, hundreds of people have turned up at community centers to donate non-perishable food, hygiene products, clothing, and even pet supplies. Humanitarian groups across Colombia and other neighboring countries are now racing to collect essential items to support survivors in the weeks ahead.

People unload donated supplies from a truck at a collection point in Bogota on June 26, 2026, as humanitarian aid to be sent to Venezuela following deadly earthquakes. Esteban Vega La-Rotta/ via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Esteban Vega La-Rotta/ via Getty Images Isabel Mendoza, a Venezuelan street vendor who has lived in Colombia for the past five years, arrived at a donation center in Bogotá with clothes she no longer uses, along with gloves, face masks and rolls of toilet paper she bought after learning of the disaster. "I'm from Maracaibo, so my family was not affected," Mendoza said.

"But I've been to places like Caracas and La Guaira, and it just breaks my heart to see this happening to our people. " Mariana Godoy, a logistics specialist, arrived with a shopping cart filled with bottled water, energy drinks, cookies, deodorants and sanitary products. She said a relative, a doctor in Caracas, was unable to return home after his building was badly damaged and is now sleeping in his office with his wife and children.

"Our country is going through a really tough moment, so we must do all we can to help," Godoy said. Sponsor Message Global Health U.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.