Venezuela Earthquakes Kill Dozens as Hotel Housing US Deportees Collapses

By Aurax Radio | June 30, 2026 | 2 min read

Rescue crews in Venezuela are searching through the ruins of a collapsed hotel after twin earthquakes struck the region, with reports that more than 100 U.S. deportees were being housed at the site when it was destroyed. Families are awaiting confirmation of missing relatives as authorities continue recovery operations and assess the scale of casualties and damage.

Collapsed hotel from the Venezuelan Earthquakes., where Venezuelan deportees were held.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Emergency responders in Venezuela continued search operations Tuesday after twin earthquakes caused widespread destruction, including the collapse of a hotel where more than 100 Venezuelans recently deported from the United States were reportedly staying. Authorities have not confirmed how many of the deportees were inside the building at the time of the collapse, and the total number of missing people remains unclear.

Rescue teams, supported by heavy equipment and search dogs, have been working through unstable rubble as they attempt to locate survivors trapped beneath the debris. The earthquakes damaged multiple structures across the affected region, straining emergency services and slowing recovery efforts. Officials have not released a verified death toll and are still assessing the extent of structural damage across impacted areas.

The presence of deportees at the hotel has drawn heightened international attention, though officials have not established any direct connection between their return and the timing or impact of the earthquakes. Venezuelan authorities say investigations are ongoing into building safety standards and disaster response procedures. Families of missing individuals have gathered at shelters and hospitals seeking information as search-and-rescue efforts continue under difficult conditions.

Sources: ABC News, NPR, The Guardian, CNN and Reuters.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse