Teens who fled Venezuela after deadly quakes caught in another disaster in Colombia
Two Venezuelan teenagers who survived deadly earthquakes in June have been caught in another earthquake days after moving to Colombia to reunite with their father. The brothers, Deivi, 15, and Winder, 17, lost their mother, grandmother and 10-year-old brother when their apartment block in La Guaira collapsed, leaving them traumatised and forced into rescue work.
The Venezuelan earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude and striking 39 seconds apart on 24 June, killed more than 6,300 people according to the government. After nearly a month searching through rubble, the brothers helped locate their relatives’ bodies; they arrived in Cali on Friday and felt another tremor three days later.
- Venezuelan brothers survived devastating quakes, then felt another in Colombia.
- Their mother, grandmother and younger brother died in the collapse.
- The June quakes reportedly killed more than 6,300 people.
New here? Start with this
Venezuela is a country in northern South America that has faced years of economic hardship and political tension, leading many people to leave in search of safety, work or family support. Colombia, which borders Venezuela, has become one of the main destinations for Venezuelans moving abroad.
Earthquakes can cause severe damage when buildings collapse, and survivors may face long searches for missing relatives, homelessness and lasting trauma. Families separated by migration can also be especially vulnerable when disasters strike in more than one place.