Venezuela rolls out identification and burial protocol for La Guaira quake victims

The National Service of Forensic Medicine and Sciences (Senamecf) explained the procedure for identifying, delivering and burying victims of the June 24 earthquakes in La Guaira. Each body receives a numeric ID, is photographed, and families can view the images to recognize relatives. When visual identification is insufficient, anthropological and odontological examinations are performed. Once identified, a death certificate is issued and families choose burial sites, with most interments taking place at the La Esperanza cemetery in Carayaca, where each corpse is placed in an individually numbered body bag and urn.

The Administrative Service of Identification, Migration and Immigration (Saime) organized a free, document‑free ID‑card issuance session on 18 July in La Guaira to aid residents still affected by the disaster. In parallel, a team of Colombian forensic experts arrived to assist Venezuelan officials with DNA sampling and genetic analysis to improve identification of remains.

The government also announced an environmental remediation plan for the coastal zone of La Guaira, including phytoremediation and the re‑organization of debris sites. Additionally, Venezuela secured a US$346 million loan from the International Monetary Fund intended to support families, housing reconstruction and essential public services after the quake, which left more than 5,000 dead and thousands injured.