Foreign Victims of Venezuela Earthquakes Identified; Search for Missing Continues

The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to nearly one thousand, with foreign citizens confirmed among the fatalities. The United Nations head of humanitarian aid, Tom Fletcher, reported that more than 50,000 people are still missing in the aftermath of the disaster.

Portugal has reported a significant number of its citizens affected, with 28 deceased or missing descendants of Portuguese origin and 85 individuals unaccounted for. Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed at least five Spanish deaths and 119 disappearances. As of January 1, 2026, approximately 147,000 Spaniards resided in Venezuela, according to Spanish government data.

Brazil, which shares a border with Venezuela, confirmed two of its citizens died in the tragedy and announced consular assistance for their families. Italy also reported the death of a dual Venezuelan-Italian citizen following the collapse of a building in La Guaira state. An estimated 170,000 people with Italian passports reside in Venezuela.

China has confirmed two citizens among the earthquake victims as of Thursday afternoon, according to the state news agency Xinhua. The Chinese embassy in Caracas has urged Chinese nationals in Venezuela to take precautions against secondary disasters caused by aftershocks and further seismic activity. The scale of the disaster continues to unfold as rescue and recovery efforts proceed.

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There are more than 50,000 people missing.