6,500 Dead: How a Devastating Venezuelan Earthquake Resonates Through the US Diaspora

For Kelly Granado Montano the separation from her homeland is more than a physical distance. Her parents are missing under the rubble of a Venezuelan apartment building following the back-to-back earthquakes that struck on June 24. Montano lives in Los Angeles but her mental presence remains in Caracas where she described her state of mind as lost and anxious. She spent her days on the phone trying to find her parents. The desperation and pain she felt were amplified by the inability to be there in person. This scenario illustrates the complex status of the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States.

Statistics provided by officials indicate that the powerful tremors killed more than 6,500 people. Thousands of buildings were damaged and an untold number of individuals remain missing. The events triggered a visible reaction within the borders of the United States where over one million Venezuelans reside. The population of this group grew from 600,000 in 2019 to 1.2 million in 2024 largely due to economic hardship. As the news spread through social media and family WhatsApp chats the community in the US faced a collective emotional challenge.

Experts note that survivors often experience guilt anger toward authorities and a sense of powerlessness when disaster strikes remotely. The dual reality of living in a wealthy nation while mourning loss in another creates a distinct psychological burden. The physical distance between the United States and Venezuela does not diminish the intensity of these emotions. The report highlights how the diaspora navigates these feelings as they process the aftermath of one of the worst disasters in recent South American history.