La Guaira searches continue after Venezuela quakes kill at least 920
Rescue efforts in coastal Venezuela are under pressure as authorities limit access and aid groups warn time is running out for buried survivors.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Rescuers and residents in Venezuela are still searching collapsed buildings three days after two strong earthquakes killed at least 920 people, Al Jazeera and The Associated Press reported. The effort has become more urgent as aid groups warn that the main period for finding survivors alive under rubble is nearing its end.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Wednesday and badly damaged the coastal area around La Guaira, according to Al Jazeera and AP. More than 51,000 people remain missing, and the death toll is expected to rise, the news organizations reported.
Authorities moved Friday night to restrict access to the La Guaira area after traffic congestion began slowing rescue operations, Al Jazeera and AP reported. Officials said people seeking to enter would need permits, but they gave little information on who would qualify.
With government rescue teams scarce in some of the worst-hit neighborhoods, residents have been digging through debris by hand, according to Al Jazeera and AP. People in affected areas said they had seen few state rescue crews, even as officials described a broad government response.
Government says aid is arriving
Jorge Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly, said, “Each person saved is a miracle,” according to Al Jazeera and AP. He also said officials would not conceal the scale of the disaster.
Government forces handed out food and water to survivors in La Guaira, the news organizations reported. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said her administration was carrying out a full response during what she called “critical hours for rescuing people alive.”
Delcy Rodriguez welcomed foreign rescue workers and humanitarian assistance, according to Al Jazeera and AP. She said La Guaira had been “militarised” and that more aid was coming, while residents said the help reaching them was far below what they needed.
Rodriguez, a former vice president, took office in January after the United States captured and removed then-President Nicolas Maduro, Al Jazeera and AP reported. Venezuela has faced economic turmoil for more than a decade, and many Venezuelans reject the legitimacy of the political movement Rodriguez represents, according to the report.
Missing-person reports remain uncertain
Independent digital databases have logged tens of thousands of missing-person reports, Al Jazeera and AP reported. Those counts may include duplicates, and some people listed as missing may be unreachable because phone service is down.
More than 3,300 people were injured as of midday Friday, according to authorities cited by Al Jazeera and AP. Officials said 243 people had been rescued.
The International Organization for Migration said as many as 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including about two million in Caracas. Experts cited by Al Jazeera and AP said the destruction was worsened because the shallow earthquakes struck in quick succession.
Loyce Pace, the International Red Cross regional director for the Americas, said “people are still terrified to re-enter what were their homes,” according to Al Jazeera and AP.
Venezuelan authorities said 861 volunteers from Mexico, the United States, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia and other countries were in Venezuela, with more expected to arrive, Al Jazeera and AP reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.