A deportation flight arrived in Venezuela from Miami hours before the earthquakes, according to the Associated Press. On board were 146 Venezuelans — including 19 women and seven children — according to ICE Flight Monitor, an initiative of Human Rights First that tracks deportation flights.
As MSI previously reported, the magnitude-7.2 and magnitude-7.5 earthquakes struck near Caracas on June 24, killing at least 164 people and causing widespread damage. La Guaira was among the hardest-hit areas.
Lisbeth Portillo, 58, said she was inside the hotel when the quakes hit. She said she escaped with about 20 other deportees and that they walked through the streets looking for help. She described seeing people running from the rubble, some naked and others barefoot, as they emerged from the collapsed building.
Rescue teams from the United States and other nations have been operating in Venezuela since the quakes. The U.S. has pledged $150 million in humanitarian assistance and deployed over 250 rescue personnel, as MSI previously reported.