Venezuela: Valencia airport emerges as Venezuela's main international gateway after earthquakes.

Valencia's Arturo Michelena International Airport has stepped in as Venezuela's primary international gateway after two powerful earthquakes June 24 severely damaged the main terminal in the capital city of Caracas and forced its closure to commercial flights. Located in central Venezuela, the airport has seen a sharp increase in commercial flights, with multiple international airlines temporarily rerouting their services there. The damaged Caracas airport, meanwhile, has been repurposed to receive international aid and facilitate emergency efforts. Arturo Michelena previously handled only a dozen or so weekly flights to Panama City and Bogota, capital of Colombia. It is now absorbing a large influx of international passengers bound for Caracas, resulting in a surge in flight density. The sudden increase in passenger traffic has stretched the airport's capacity, with baggage claim sometimes taking two to three hours. Still, for many Venezuelans living in other countries, the chance to return home and join relief efforts is worth the wait. The death toll from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 2,954, with 16,592 others injured, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Saturday in a message on his Telegram channel. The update said 16,209 people were without housing, while 856 buildings had been damaged and 190 structures had collapsed. Shotlist: Valencia, Venezuela - July 4, 2026: 1. Various of planes at Arturo Michelena International Airport; airport staff; 2. Passengers outside terminal; 3. Various of passengers waiting at baggage claim; lining up for security checks; Panama City, Panama - July 4, 2026 4. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Daiquiri Alvarez, Venezuelan: "We Venezuelans living abroad are sending remittances home to help quake victims get medicine and food. At home, people in the disaster zones are persevering. Even those who have lost their homes and are living in shelters are sharing whatever they can, like water, food, medicine, with those even more vulnerable. The entire nation has united. And the international community is also stepping up with economic and humanitarian assistance."; 5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Gustavo Villegas, Venezuelan: "I'm planning to head back to Venezuela now. I want to see how my hometown is coping after the quake. I've been working abroad for four years. I was deeply worried when the quake hit, and I want to do whatever I can to help."; 6. Flight information board; 7. Passengers at waiting hall. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]