local
Venezuelan cemetery expands burials for earthquake victims, many of whom remain unidentified
By Osmary Hernández, Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, Avery Schmitz at KXXV (ABC 25) News
· July 7, 2026
· 3 min read
In the mountains of Venezuelas La Guaira state, workers have excavated new trenches at a cemetery to bury hundreds of people killed in the powerful twin earthquakes nearly two weeks ago, even as many of the bodies being laid to rest remain unidentified.CNN observed heavy machinery working at La E...
Key takeaway Satellite images from spatial intelligence company Vantor show more than 20 rows of freshly dug trenches, each one large enough to fit multiple caskets side by side.
Why this matters in The Waco
The tragic situation in Venezuela's La Guaira state, where workers are excavating new trenches to bury hundreds of earthquake victims, many of whom remain unidentified, has a somber parallel in Waco 's own experiences with disaster response. In the aftermath of a major disaster, the challenge of identifying and burying the dead is a daunting task that requires careful planning and coordination. The use of individual graves with codes to identify the unidentified victims in La Esperanza cemetery is a practice that could inform local policies in McLennan County, where emergency management officials must be prepared to respond to a wide range of disasters, from tornadoes to floods. As Waco's own emergency responders and funeral homes would face similar challenges in the event of a large-scale disaster, the Venezuelan cemetery's approach to handling unidentified remains could serve as a model for local authorities to consider in their own disaster planning efforts.
About this story
Original reporting by KXXV (ABC 25) News . The Waco surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KXXV (ABC 25) News . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: July 7, 2026 ·
Source: KXXV (ABC 25) News ·
Reading time: 3 min
Get more The Waco stories like this
Free weekly briefing covering local and other local news. Curated by our editorial team. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy . Unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? In the mountains of Venezuelas La Guaira state, workers have excavated new trenches at a cemetery to bury hundreds of people killed in the powerful twin earthquakes nearly two weeks ago, even as many of the bodies being laid to rest remain unidentified.CNN observed heavy machinery working at La E...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 7, 2026 by KXXV (ABC 25) News and curated for The Waco readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Osmary Hernández, Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, Avery Schmitz at KXXV (ABC 25) News. To learn more about how The Waco selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Waco, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More local →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter