Hundreds of residents of Venezuela's Misión Vivienda housing complex have been forced to sleep outdoors along Caracas' central Avenida Bolívar after a devastating double earthquake damaged several buildings in the government-built development.

After the quakes, the authorities and rescue workers evacuated the affected structures.

The buildings, part of one of the flagship social programs of late President Hugo Chávez, are reported to have no major structural damage, but residents say collapsed walls and cracks throughout the complex have made it too dangerous to return.

More than 1,000 families are currently sheltering in makeshift camps set up along the avenue, the Carlos Cruz Diez Museum of Print and Design and the Architecture Museum.

"We're afraid. There are walls that could collapse and hurt us. The structure is fine, thank God. Our buildings are fine; they're solid. But there are many damaged walls on the first floor, the second floor, and at the entrances to the buildings," said Amarilis Ocanto, one of the displaced residents.

Carmen Ballejos, a retired resident camping outside her building, expressed both fear and frustration. "The column isn't damaged. We trust them, but we're terrified to go inside," she said.

Many of the affected residents had originally been relocated to these apartments after losing their homes during the severe flooding of 2010.

The twin quakes, which struck last week, have left a devastating toll across Venezuela. According to authorities, the death toll has risen to more than 1,700 people, with over 5,000 wounded and more than 15,000 left homeless. Dozens of buildings collapsed in the coastal state of La Guaira, approximately 40 kilometers north of Caracas.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Residents of Venezuela's state housing complex seek shelter outdoors after quake damages buildings

VIDEO SHOWS: TENTS OUTSIDE MUSEUMS AND STREETS / SOUNDBITES FROM PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES WERE DAMAGED BY THE QUAKE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JUNE 29, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. TENTS SET UP BY PEOPLE WHOSE HOMES WERE DAMAGED BY QUAKE OUTSIDE THE CARLOS CRUZ DIEZ MUSEUM OF PRINT AND DESIGN

2. FACADE OF CARLOS CRUZ DIEZ MUSEUM OF PRINT AND DESIGN

3. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN TENTS OUTSIDE MUSEUM

4. VENEZUELAN FLAG HANGING FROM TENT

5. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN TENTS IN STREET

6. VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDING

7. BANNER OF FORMER VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ

8. PERSON IN TENT

9. DOG LYING ON BED

10. DISPLACED RESIDENT, CARMEN BALLEJOS DRINKING COFFEE

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DISPLACED RESIDENT, CARMEN BALLEJOS, SAYING:

"The column isn't damaged. We trust them (the team of engineers who assessed the damage to the building), but we're terrified to go inside. Where are we going to sleep if it’s shaking all the time? It’s like we’re dancing. And if we stay in our homes—because we want to be at home—then we’re going to suffer just like the people of Vargas State (the former name of La Guaira) are suffering, and we don’t want that. But the state—the country—is in shambles."

12. VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDING

13. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CAMPING OUTSIDE THE ARCHITECTURE MUSEUM

14. VENEZUELAN FLAG IN ARCHITECTURE MUSEUM

15. VARIOUS OF DISPLACED RESIDENT, AMARILIS OCANTO CHECKING HER CELLPHONE

16. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DISPLACED RESIDENT, AMARILIS OCANTO, SAYING:

"We're afraid. There are walls that could collapse and hurt us. The structure is fine, thank God. Our structure is fine; it's solid. But there are many damaged walls on the first floor, the second floor, and at the entrances to the buildings. It's dangerous to be inside the buildings in case there's another tremor and the walls come crashing down on us."

17. VARIOUS OF INSIDE OF DAMAGED BUILDING

18. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CAMPING IN STREETS