A Cuban family of six, missing since the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, was tragically discovered deceased this Sunday. The discovery ends several agonizing days of searching through rubble in La Guaira.
Martí Noticias, relying on family accounts, confirmed that the bodies were found among the debris of the Oasis Beach and Resjurel buildings, as well as the Chipis Beach Hotel in Playa Grande, one of the most affected areas by the disaster.
The victims include Yadina de la Caridad Yáñez Linares, a 36-year-old cycling instructor known as "Yadina the Cuban" from Sandino, Pinar del Río; her husband, Alain Rodríguez Rojas, also from the same town; their six-year-old son, Dylan Xander Rodríguez Yáñez, who was born in Venezuela; Yadina’s mother, Gladys María Linares; and Alain’s parents, Raudel Diosdado Rodríguez Cabrera and Teresa Rojas Rodríguez, from Ciego de Ávila.
Yadina was last seen at the gym of the Chipis Beach Hotel in Catia La Mar, shortly before the earthquakes led to the collapse of several structures. Her other family members were in the Oasis Beach and Resjurel buildings when they crumbled.
The only direct survivor from the family is Valentina, Alain’s eldest daughter, who lives in Valencia, Venezuela.
Liliane García Linares, Yadina’s sister residing in the United States, confirmed the recovery of the bodies and mentioned the family's efforts to arrange their transportation.
"We are retrieving the bodies to cremate them and see if I can bring them to the United States, since the entire family is here," she stated.
Recovering the remains remains a complex process. Ailin Rodríguez Rojas, Alain’s sister, explained that while some bodies have been retrieved, they are stored with numerous others in a depot, complicating identification efforts.
"We have recovered the bodies of the child, Alain, and my parents, but they are in a depot with other corpses, making recognition challenging; we are working on that," she noted.
This news has deeply shaken Sandino, Pinar del Río, where neighbors and friends remember the family as hardworking and beloved by the community.
Nidia Ramos, a neighbor of Yadina, described her as "a very enterprising, cheerful girl, always smiling, with much love for her child," while recalling Gladys as someone who "shared what she had, even if it meant having nothing left the next day."
Like many Cubans, the family had emigrated in search of better economic opportunities. Yadina spent years traveling between Cuba and Venezuela before finally settling there with her loved ones.
"Cubans migrate because of the pervasive scarcity and low wages here. Losing them is a very hard blow," Ramos lamented.
The family tragedy occurred during earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes that struck northern Venezuela just 39 seconds apart, which the United States Geological Survey described as the most intense recorded in the country since 1900.
La Guaira was declared a disaster zone following the collapse of more than 250 buildings. As of Sunday night, the official toll had risen to 1,719 dead and 5,034 injured, while the UN estimates about 50,000 people remain missing.
Following the tremors, at least 32 Cubans were reported missing through citizen platforms, most in La Guaira. In response to the tragedy’s scale, Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has opened a hotline (7 8321484) for families to report the status of their loved ones in Venezuela.
A family friend summed up the sentiment left by the tragedy among those who knew them: "Today the sky welcomes a beautiful family—your husband, son, mother, in-laws—forever united."
Impact of the Venezuela Earthquakes on Cuban Families
What happened to the Cuban family in Venezuela?
The Cuban family of six was tragically found deceased following the earthquakes in Venezuela. They were discovered in the rubble of buildings in La Guaira.
How significant were the earthquakes in Venezuela?
The earthquakes were highly significant, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes. They were the most intense recorded in Venezuela since 1900, leading to widespread destruction.
What assistance is available for families affected by the Venezuela earthquakes?
Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a hotline (7 8321484) for families to report the status of their relatives in Venezuela. Families are also working on identifying and recovering bodies.