Death toll rises after Venezuela quakes as anger mounts
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Frustration is rising across Venezuela over a lack of aid and coordinated government response in areas struck by deadly twin earthquakes, residents in some hard-hit towns say.
In El Junquito, a small mountainous region about 33 km west of Caracas where Venezuelans often vacation on weekends, residents say they have seen few public officials, while farmers and other residents have been providing basic supplies to the community.
“We are waiting for answers, for debris to be cleaned up, for inspections, for people who have been really affected to be helped,” said Keily Ibarra, a 33-year-old manicurist leading citizen complaints to authorities. She called on the government to do “what needs to be done.”
El Junquito’s commercial centre was largely destroyed by the quakes, with collapsed buildings visible during a Reuters visit. Several residents with nowhere else to go have set up tents in an open field, despite the risk posed by damaged and collapsed buildings nearby.
“We don’t know where we are going to be located or how long we are going to be here,” said Tony Abreu, the owner of a local candy store who has been living in a tent since the quakes because his home and business are not safe.
Elsewhere, a hotel near Maiquetia Airport where more than 140 people deported from the United States, including seven children, were staying while being processed by Venezuelan authorities, collapsed in the quakes, according to two families of deportees. Most are believed to have been killed.
While several international aid and rescue groups have mobilised to Venezuela, most of the help has been focused in La Guaira, the hardest-hit state of a country long mired in a deep political and economic crisis.
The international community has rallied to help Venezuela deal with the disaster. Authorities said the oil-rich South American country has received support from 30 nations, including 1000 metric tons of supplies, more than 3600 rescue and support workers as well as 118 search-and-rescue canines.
The death toll continued to rise. Jorge Rodriguez, the acting president’s brother and president of the National Assembly, on Monday put the number of confirmed dead at 1719, with 5034 injured and 15,866 left homeless.
Caracas residents’ homes were rocked by an aftershock early on Monday, while rescue teams searched round-the-clock for a fifth day.
The 4.6-magnitude aftershock hit north of Caracas early on Monday at a depth of 10 km, according to the US Geological Survey, but Rodriguez said no damage was immediately reported.
It was the latest of hundreds of aftershocks since last Wednesday that have rattled national and international teams conducting rescue efforts, each rescue sparking hope as the window to find survivors dwindles.
Among the seeming miracles was the rescue of 21-year-old Aaron Levi from a collapsed building in the disaster-stricken state of La Guaira, pulled out after 106 hours trapped under the rubble through a rescue operation that lasted 43 hours, according to Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez.
After announcing the updated death toll, Assembly President Rodriguez said 15 shelters had been set up in La Guaira as well as 50 provisional camps to help people affected by the quakes.
He applauded Venezuelans for their calm and strength, blaming any anger against the government on misinformation.
“Do not pay attention to rumours, do not let yourselves be led by manipulation strategies on social networks or by media manipulation that seek nothing but to increase unrest and anxiety,” Rodriguez said.
“Official information is the only one that truly has the truth to share with you.”
Reuters