Venezuela quake survivors shelter in parks as toll rises

Venezuelans displaced by two powerful earthquakes are sleeping in parks and public squares while rescuers continue searching collapsed buildings, Al Jazeera reported. The disaster has killed at least 2,645 people, and officials expect the toll to climb because up to 38,500 people remain missing, according to Al Jazeera.

The earthquakes struck on June 24 less than a minute apart, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, Al Jazeera reported. Roads split open, apartment blocks fell and thousands of people were left unable to return home, according to the broadcaster.

The United Nations said the Venezuelan government had reportedly ordered 10,000 body bags, Al Jazeera reported. International rescue teams and local volunteers using hand tools have continued digging through debris, including at night, in the hope of finding survivors.

La Guaira, a coastal city near Caracas, is among the worst-hit areas, according to Al Jazeera. The broadcaster reported that high-rise apartment buildings there were reduced to rubble, while residents waited nearby for news of missing relatives or for bodies to be recovered for burial.

Displaced residents describe fear and loss

In Caracas, Parque del Este has become one of the improvised camps for people who lost homes or fear returning to damaged neighborhoods, Al Jazeera reported. Rinieri Pereira, a 58-year-old podologist from La Guaira, told Al Jazeera she saw buildings fall during the shaking and has since learned of deaths among neighbors, clients and acquaintances.

Daylin Arias, a 36-year-old manicurist and salesperson from La Guaira, told Al Jazeera she has been waiting near the ruins of her apartment building for news of her partner. She said he had planned to call after class on the day of the earthquakes, but communication failed and he has not been found, according to the broadcaster.

Francis Alexander Gomez, a 49-year-old street food vendor from La Guaira, told Al Jazeera that he and his son survived because they were outside walking their dogs when their apartment building collapsed. He said they slept in an abandoned car before reaching Parque del Este, where volunteers provided a tent, clothes and food.

Victoria Robaina, a 30-year-old restaurant cashier from La Guaira, told Al Jazeera that she and her son were near the beach when buildings collapsed. She said her son has been reliving the earthquake at night and that they cannot return to La Guaira because of the lack of water and conditions around the dead, according to the broadcaster.

Anger grows over the response

Al Jazeera reported that some survivors blame the government for poor public housing construction, weak safety standards and a system they say has not delivered basic services during the emergency. Several displaced people interviewed by the broadcaster said aid had come mainly from volunteers, private companies, embassies and foreign governments.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has defended the government response and denied that authorities could have moved more quickly, Al Jazeera reported. The United Socialist Party of Venezuela has governed the country for more than 25 years, according to the broadcaster.

Luzmidla Arrechedera, a 57-year-old hairdresser from Caracas, told Al Jazeera she fled with family and later searched for missing pets, finding one cat after three days. She said people had provided food, water and personal items, but she had not seen government assistance at the camp.

Willis Madrid, a 49-year-old paramedic from Caracas, told Al Jazeera that medical teams have been transporting people in shock and patients whose diabetes, hypertension and other conditions worsened after the earthquakes. He said medicine remains one of the main needs, according to the broadcaster.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.