Venezuelans fear losing earthquake victims' remains amid morgue chaos

In the aftermath of devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, families are grappling with the immense grief of loss and the added fear of their deceased loved ones' remains being lost in the chaos of overwhelmed morgues. Víctor Colivert expressed the anguish of many, stating, "I'm going to China, wherever, but I won't leave him alone," referring to his nephew's body recovered from the rubble.

Hundreds of volunteers are tirelessly sifting through mountains of debris at the site of collapsed housing towers in La Guaira, a state near Caracas. These towers, part of a former star housing program, were devastated by earthquakes on June 24 that claimed nearly 3,000 lives. Military personnel were seen attempting to extract the body of 16-year-old Greidy, trapped under a beam, while her brother Oswall, 13, had already been recovered.

Families are facing agonizing decisions. Some, like Colivert, are holding onto the bodies of their relatives, fearing they will be lost in the system. "I'm going with him," Colivert stated, indicating his determination to keep his nephew's remains close. While Greidy's mother, Grecia, took her daughter's body for cremation in Caracas, Colivert remained with the remains of his nephews and brother-in-law.

Venezuelan authorities, including interim president Delcy Rodríguez, have assured the public that all bodies will be identified and none will be sent to a mass grave. Officials are taking fingerprints and photographs to create records for each individual entering the morgues. However, for many, like Miguel Ángel Colivert, the uncle of Víctor, hope is fading. "My soul hurts!" he exclaimed, having lost faith after his niece's body was found.

The scene at the collapsed housing complex, built about 13 years ago as part of the "Misión Vivienda" (Housing Mission) program, is one of intense activity and profound sorrow. Volunteers work in long lines, passing buckets of debris, pausing only when a drill pierces the silence or someone calls for a moment of quiet. Celida Sequera, a 43-year-old volunteer, described the situation as "a horror movie," lamenting that they escaped war only to face nature's fury. She recounted how a friend lost his wife and three children when a wall collapsed on them during the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes.