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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Disasters & Emergencies

Venezuela earthquake leaves over 2 million tons of debris, officials say

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Venezuela's government and the UN Development Programme estimate that a recent earthquake left over 2.1 million tons of debris.
  • This unprecedented volume of waste, comprising construction materials and personal belongings, was measured using drones, helicopters, and ground surveys.
  • Authorities are developing plans to manage and recycle the debris, establishing temporary disposal centers and involving private companies in the process.

Venezuela faces an unprecedented challenge in managing over 2.1 million tons of debris left by a recent earthquake, according to a joint estimate by the national government and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Minister of Ecosocialism Nelson Rodríguez described the volume of waste as "unprecedented in global emergencies," based on data collected through drone and helicopter overflights, as well as ground measurements. The debris consists of approximately 1.5 million tons of construction materials and over 577,000 tons of personal belongings. The minister did not specify if these figures cover the entire nation or are limited to La Guaira, the state most affected by the tremors.

There is no reference in the world, as international organizations have told us, to this volume of waste in other emergencies and tragedies.

— Nelson RodríguezThe Minister of Ecosocialism described the scale of debris from the earthquake.

In response to the massive scale of the disaster, the Ministry of Ecosocialism is exploring international protocols for debris management and recycling. Rodríguez suggested the situation could foster a "culture of segregation at the source," separating materials for recycling and reintegration into the productive economy. Eleven temporary disposal centers have been set up in La Guaira to classify debris into hazardous, recyclable, and aggregate categories. A crushing machine has been moved to the state, and private companies are expected to participate in waste separation and the management of new disposal sites.

The UNDP had previously estimated around 1.2 million tons of debris concentrated in La Guaira alone. This coastal state, adjacent to Caracas, has its main airport still inoperable due to structural damage. The UN agency utilized advanced technology, combining satellite imagery, AI-powered infrastructure assessments, and local engineering knowledge to gauge the damage.

We could talk about the beginning of a culture of segregation at the source, that is, the separation of materials according to their nature for recycling, treatment, and reinsertion into the productive world.

— Nelson RodríguezThe Minister of Ecosocialism discussed plans for managing and recycling earthquake debris.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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