Reducing searches… hopes of finding survivors in Venezuela diminish
The number of The two strong earthquakes that struck Venezuela Last week, more than 3,000 people were killed, according to official figures, while international rescue teams began to reduce searches under the rubble with diminishing hopes of finding survivors.
In the city of La Guaira, which was most affected by the disaster, located 40 kilometers from the capital Caracas, entire residential buildings were reduced to rubble as a result of The two earthquakes that struck the country almost simultaneously on June 24.
A large number of those affected are still homeless, sleeping on the streets or taking refuge in public parks.
Francisco Saskia, a 38-year-old rescue team volunteer and translator, said in front of a building in the Playa Grande neighborhood: Our operations are still continuing, and we are still extracting bodies from under the rubble, and we will continue Work.
16 thousand people are homeless
According to an updated official toll, at least 3,342 people died and 16,700 others were injured in the two earthquakes, which are considered among the strongest and most destructive earthquakes in Latin America.
The Ministry also indicated that more than 16 thousand people became homeless, noting that 856 buildings were damaged.
The two earthquakes occurred with a difference 39 seconds, and mainly affected northern Venezuela, putting the country into a state of mourning and despair over the lack of finding relatives, whether alive or dead.
On Sunday, the Venezuelan authorities buried more than 150 unidentified bodies in a long row of individual graves, according to what journalists in Venezuela saw.
The acting Venezuelan president stressed on Sunday that the country would not slide into social unrest in the wake of the two earthquakes that left about three thousand dead and thousands missing.
The number of foreign rescue teams decreases
On the streets of La Guaira, the number of foreign rescue teams participating in the search operations is gradually decreasing.
Rescue teams from the United States, Chile and other countries began preparing to leave, including rescue teams from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, in addition to teams from Florida and Virginia, elements of which reported that the chances of finding survivors decreased significantly after 72 hours of the incident. Similar disasters.
However, on Thursday, relief personnel were able to rescue a man who had been under the rubble for 8 days, which represented a glimmer of hope amid the unfolding tragedy.
The capital, Caracas, was also affected by the disaster, but the damage there was much less than that recorded in La Guaira.
According to the US Geological Survey, this earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5, is considered the strongest in Venezuela in a year. 1900.
Rodriguez honors the rescuers
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez honored the American rescuers on Saturday, and told them at a ceremony held on the occasion: The Venezuelan people will never forget this gesture.
Rodriguez honored the rescuers from the United Kingdom, Qatar, France, India, Barbados, Brazil and Argentina.
She said that she is in contact with some countries that It will contribute to the rehabilitation of Maiquetia Airport in La Guaira, which was closed as a result of the earthquake before partially reopening to receive humanitarian relief flights.
Rodriguez, who has been leading Venezuela since the United States arrested former President Nicolas Maduro in January, is facing criticism due to the lack of rescue teams and equipment before the international teams arrived.
The government has not issued official figures on the missing, but the United Nations estimates their number to be up to 50. Alpha.
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