Official missing count in Venezuela earthquakes far below citizen reports

In the aftermath of two major earthquakes and hundreds of aftershocks in central Venezuela, an alarming disconnect has emerged between official missing person counts and those reported by citizens. While authorities state only 188 individuals are missing, a citizen-led website, desaparecidosterremotovenezuela.com, has logged over 41,000 unlocated individuals, with 3,152 already accounted for.

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After more than 15 hours of the two earthquakes and more than 300 aftershocks that occurred yesterday in central Venezuela, the official number of missing persons is barely 188, while the number of unlocated people reported on the website desaparecidosterremotovenezuela.com is 41,210, of whom 3,152 have already been located.

Venezuelans, both within the country and abroad, have turned to social media to share images and information about relatives and acquaintances they cannot reach. These individuals were residents of heavily impacted areas like La Guaira and Los Palos Grandes. A critical lack of official channels for reporting disappearances or verifying rescued individuals has fueled public anxiety.

Searches of official government websites, including the Ministry of Interior and Justice and Civil Protection, revealed no information regarding missing persons or disaster victims. The website for the Presidency also failed to provide any data. This official silence exacerbates the desperation of families seeking information about their loved ones' whereabouts.

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Venezuelans, both inside and outside the country, have taken to social media to share images of family members and acquaintances with whom they have not been able to make contact since yesterday, after the tremors, and who were residents of the most affected areas, such as La Guaira and Los Palos Grandes.

The platform desaparecidosterremotovenezuela.com, launched Wednesday night, has become a crucial, albeit unofficial, registry. It collects basic data, locations, and contact numbers for those seeking information. Hand-written lists of hospitals treating the injured have also circulated on social media. This citizen initiative is vital for centralizing information amid the emergency and the absence of official support.

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It is important that in the face of the emergency and the lack of communication with official bodies, information be kept centralized on this platform, which has served as a reliable record of the number of people who have not been located to date.