The devastating earthquakes that shook Venezuela last week have also claimed the lives of four members of the Venezuelan nu metal band Van Der Dijs. According to reports, the new band was practicing at a facility in La Guaira when the building collapsed due to two strong earthquakes. The four musicians' remains were later discovered among the debris by rescue crews.What happened to Van Der Dijs?The band was rehearsing inside the Costamar II building in the Tanaguarena neighborhood of La Guaira when the earthquakes occurred on June 24, according to reports from the Venezuelan publication Šltimas Noticias.The two earthquakes, which had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, happened seconds apart and devastated most of northern Venezuela. The band was trapped inside the rehearsal building when it collapsed.The members who have passed away have been identified as vocalist Manuel van Der Dijs, guitarist Gabriel Gómez, Bassist Xander Hernández and drummer Abraham Foucault. Their bodies were eventually discovered by rescuers working in one of the country's most devastated locations.Van Der Dijs were gaining momentum before the tragedyVan Der Dijs was formed in 2024, and they immediately established themselves as one of Venezuela's most promising new heavy music acts, combining nu-metal, rap-rock, and alternative rock influences.The group had published several singles, including their most recent hit, 15 Minutes (15 Minutos), which was released barely a month before their untimely death. Earlier releases included Nemesis, as well as various additional indie songs distributed via streaming sites, including YouTube.On June 19, five days before the earthquakes, the band performed a sold-out gig at the Experimental Hall of the Modern Art Center (Centro de Arte Moderno) in La Castellana, Caracas.They were also expected to put on more shows in Punto Fijo on June 27 and Valencia on August 8, with promotional posts for the shows still available on social media before the disaster. Their death has flooded all of social media with family, friends, and other artists and people from the industry paying their respects.The band members of Van Der Dijs were among the 1700 who were confirmed dead in the northern part of the country. La Guira, the place where their bodies were recovered, remains one of the most affected areas.The earthquakes have left Venezuela with one of its biggest natural disasters in recent times. According to several accounts, over 1,900 people have been declared dead, many have been injured, and many more are still missing. Rescue operations continue as emergency services search for collapsed buildings in the severely impacted areas.The hospitals across the northern part of the country are overwhelmed, but the search and rescue teams and tons of supplies from other countries and international aid organizations have arrived to assist them at their time of need.Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.