Venezuela earthquake: Investigation finds 603 children and adolescents among the dead

An investigation titled ‘La otra réplica: Vacíos y certezas sobre la infancia y adolescencia después del terremoto en Venezuela’, conducted by La Vida de Nos and Monitor de Víctimas, has identified at least 603 children and adolescents who died following the double earthquake on June 24. This figure represents 9.4% of the 6,438 total deaths reported by the interim government as of August 18.

The study utilized 2,318 unique records of minors, with 801 cases undergoing rigorous verification through family interviews, field reporting, and school lists. The youngest victim recorded was only seven days old. Among the confirmed deceased, adolescents aged 10 to 19 accounted for 59.05% of the cases with confirmed ages.

Reports also indicate that the official death toll may not include children whose bodies were recovered at the Los Silos morgue but remained unclaimed by families. In one instance, 40 such bodies were interred at the La Esperanza cemetery in La Guaira following specific orders to prioritize refrigeration for minors to facilitate family identification.