As the fourth day unfolds since the devastating earthquakes rocked Venezuela, the likelihood of discovering more survivors amid the rubble is diminishing significantly in the state of La Guaira. Families of the victims are voicing their frustration over government neglect and the absence of heavy machinery needed to clear the debris of collapsed buildings, as reported by El Nuevo Herald.
The twin quakes, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, struck on June 24, separated by only 39 seconds, and resulted in the collapse of at least 250 structures in La Guaira. Official reports cite 1,450 fatalities and 3,238 injuries, while the United Nations estimates over 50,000 people remain missing.
Grassroots Rescue Efforts
In Playa Grande, one of the hardest-hit areas, 38-year-old Leonela Delgado has been tirelessly searching for her stepson amidst the remnants of the Belo Horizonte building, a 17-story structure now reduced to just four standing floors.
"Hope is the last thing you lose, but we don't have much left," Delgado told EFE news agency. From the outset, survivors were trapped under the wreckage, but without proper tools or equipment, it was impossible to reach them in time. "There were many people alive when we arrived... we tried to move some debris, but unfortunately, we were unsuccessful," she recounted.
By Friday, Delgado had resorted to using her bare hands to pull out bodies that had pleaded for help days earlier. "They were under heavy slabs, and we didn't have the tools, machinery, or proper equipment to rescue them," she explained.
Official Neglect and Civilian Response
The most severe criticism is directed at the official response. "The police come, take a video, snap a photo, and then leave. They just did it again, and this has been the recurring pattern since the disaster occurred... everything has been voluntary, with no government-led contingency plan," Delgado stated.
Diana Guzmán, a nurse who traveled from Spain upon hearing the scale of the disaster, was met with a dire situation. "Sadly, lives have been lost due to a lack of rescuers and trained personnel. We have bodies, including that of my relative, decomposing due to the government's inaction," she lamented.
Guzmán detailed how families have taken on rescue operations without any formal training. "They act on instinct, driven by the desire to recover their loved ones, dead or alive," Delgado added.
International Aid and Heroic Rescues
The only assistance arriving in Playa Grande comes from civilians, small firefighter teams, Civil Protection, and international brigades from Italy and Ecuador, among the more than 2,200 rescuers from at least 17 countries deployed in the area.
Amidst the tragedy, there have been remarkable rescues in recent days: on Saturday, an 18-day-old baby, its mother, and an 11-year-old boy were pulled out alive after being buried under rubble for more than 74 hours. On Sunday, rescue teams saved another person from a collapsed building in Caraballeda.
The United States Geological Survey has estimated a 42% probability that the final death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000, potentially marking these earthquakes as the deadliest natural disaster in Venezuela's history, surpassing the 1999 Vargas landslide that claimed between 10,000 and 30,000 lives in the same state of La Guaira.
Understanding the Impact of Venezuela's Earthquakes
What were the magnitudes of the earthquakes in Venezuela?
The earthquakes in Venezuela had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.
How many people are estimated to be missing after the earthquakes?
The United Nations estimates that over 50,000 people are missing following the earthquakes in Venezuela.
What has been the response from the Venezuelan government?
Critics claim that the Venezuelan government's response has been inadequate, with reports of police merely documenting the scene without providing substantial aid or organizing a contingency plan.