KATY, Texas — As rescue teams continue searching through collapsed buildings across northern Venezuela, the death toll from this week’s devastating earthquakes has climbed above 920 people, with more than 3,300 injured and thousands still unaccounted for. While emergency crews race against time overseas, the tragedy is being felt deeply in Katy, Texas—home to one of the largest Venezuelan communities in the United States.
Often nicknamed “Katyzuela” because of its large Venezuelan population, Katy has quickly become one of the nation’s most active centers for collecting humanitarian aid following the disaster. Families with loved ones in Venezuela have spent days anxiously waiting for updates while organizing donation drives to support those who lost homes, businesses, and access to basic necessities.
Death Toll Continues to Rise
Authorities report that the confirmed death toll has now exceeded 920, while at least 3,360 people have been injured. Officials caution those numbers are expected to increase as rescue workers continue reaching heavily damaged neighborhoods.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck less than a minute apart, causing catastrophic damage across northern Venezuela. The coastal state of La Guaira remains one of the hardest-hit regions, where apartment buildings, homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses collapsed under the force of the shaking.
Katy’s Venezuelan Community Responds
For many residents in Katy, the disaster is deeply personal…