Rosa López recounted witnessing rows of bodies under a harsh sun while searching for her missing husband. Even her experience as a nurse did not prepare her for the sight of dozens of deceased wrapped in sheets or blankets.
“We saw a lot of bodies that had not yet been identified,” López stated.
A race is underway across La Guaira, the northern coastal state most severely impacted by the powerful back-to-back June 24 earthquakes, to identify relatives before it is too late. With at least 2,295 fatalities, Venezuela is struggling with the volume of bodies that officials must collect, identify, and preserve for grieving families. Thousands remain missing.
José Antonio Toledo, López’s 25-year-old son-in-law, was discovered under the building where he worked as a security guard when the quakes occurred. Crews transported his body to a local hospital, but staff turned him away due to lack of space. The body was moved to another facility and eventually placed in an open parking lot.
A forensic doctor assisted the family in finding him days later, on Saturday. However, after identification, they faced financial difficulty as they could not afford the $450 charged by a funeral home.
Near midnight on Saturday, López learned that the mayor’s office was offering them a free spot at a local cemetery, requiring them to act quickly to secure it. An hour later, López and her daughter walked up a hill toward the cemetery and buried Toledo.
“He was an exemplary person, a boy who liked helping people,” López said.
They saved him from what many fear is becoming a mass grave as searches for loved ones continue.
### The Number of Bodies Found Expected to Soar
Forensic technician Joel Mirabal has worked continuously for seven days since the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck.
The 45-year-old estimates that in 60%-70% of cases, a relative or neighbor is available to identify a body upon collection. Nevertheless, he noted it remains difficult, with many identifications relying on tattoos, scars, or familiar clothing.
“They don’t look even 10% like what they were in real life,” he commented regarding the victims.
If a body cannot be identified, it is sent to forensic specialists at La Guaira seaport. Private companies have donated large cooling containers to aid preservation efforts, but the number of deceased continues to increase.
“Obviously, mass graves will have to be created,” Mirabal stated. “The collapse is massive, and the bodies are buried under many layers of debris.”
Mirabal anticipates that he and other forensic technicians may spend up to three months collecting remains.
They conduct daily rounds in affected areas, guided by rescue crews and civilians who have recovered or spotted bodies.
“Many of the rescues are carried out by the people,” he said, referencing the thousands of ordinary Venezuelans assisting with recovery.
Mirabal, a dog trainer whose profession involved helping the government locate drugs and missing persons, finds comfort in the 12 dogs waiting for him at home, excluding puppies. Mila, a young black Dutch Shepherd, was one of his favorites, resting by his side on Thursday while he rested.
“It’s not easy at all to witness the suffering and tragedy of your fellow human beings,” he said.
### Venezuelans Wait in Line to Identify Loved Ones
Over the weekend, crews transported dozens of bodies recovered from collapsed buildings to a government healthcare facility in La Guaira city. They remained on a hot parking lot until families identified them; funeral home workers estimated that over 200 bodies were held there at one time.
On Thursday, those who lost family members waited outside La Guaira seaport to identify bodies authorities continued recovering across the coastal state. Cars, including trucks and vans from funeral homes, formed a queue outside a makeshift morgue.
Among those waiting was Robert Rodríguez. He sat on a concrete block, dejected, his legs dangling, awaiting his daughter’s identification of his son-in-law's body. Rafael Alvarado died trapped inside a grocery store where he worked at the deli counter.
“He was her best friend,” Rodríguez said as tears moistened his blue face mask.
Rodríguez reported that the family found Alvarado in the rubble on Wednesday, and his body was freed and moved to the port on Thursday.
“I saw his shoes and knew it was him,” Rodríguez added, mentioning he warned his daughter. “I told her, ‘Prepare yourself.’”
The family plans to cremate Alvarado and scatter his ashes on Isla de Margarita, the Venezuelan island that was his home.