No basic services and nowhere to go: How these Venezuelans are living a month after the earthquakes - NBC News

What the report says

NBC News reports that one month after deadly earthquakes struck Venezuela, residents of the Brisas de Maiquetía housing development in La Guaira state remain displaced and living in donated tents amid damaged apartment towers. The complex, located near the international airport serving Caracas, was built under the Great Housing Mission, a social housing program launched by Hugo Chávez in 2011. NBC said hundreds of people in the area have lost their homes, while the broader quakes killed thousands.

Residents described scarce official assistance, unsafe conditions and uncertainty over whether their apartments can be occupied again. Ray Cazorla, who has lived in the development for nearly 16 years, told Noticias Telemundo that people feel increasingly abandoned. He and others questioned inspections that reportedly found no structural danger, saying stairways, walls and other parts of the buildings appear badly damaged. NBC reported that Venezuela’s interim government has told residents they may be able to return by March 2027.

Basic services remain a central problem. Residents said drinking water does not reach the complex, and a filtration system installed by the Cadena Foundation, a humanitarian group, works very slowly. Other available water is described by residents as unsuitable for drinking. NBC reported that more than 3,000 people rely on limited public bathrooms and 10 showers, many in poor condition, while families face heat, humidity, mosquitoes, flies and concerns about illness.

The report also describes fears of looting and aftershocks, with some residents guarding belongings or returning briefly to damaged apartments despite the risks. For families who invested savings in repairs or renovations before the disaster, the prolonged displacement adds financial and emotional strain.