Rescuers rush to find earthquake victims in Venezuela
It has been more than 28 hours since Venezuela was hit by its strongest earthquake in more than a century. The death toll from the tremors rose to 235, according to the country's Health Minister, Carlos Alvarado, in an interview with Venezuelan state television on Thursday night (25).
"Unfortunately, we receive around 235 patients who arrive without vital signs or who die upon arrival at our health centers," said Alvarado.
Historically, the first 48 to 72 hours after a quake are widely considered the "golden window" for reaching trapped people alive. After this period, the chances of survival without a water source decrease rapidly.
Some studies indicate that most rescues with survivors occur within the first five or six days. Rescue teams follow the so-called "rule of four", which assumes that a person can survive four minutes without air, four days without water and four weeks without food.
But research suggests that these "hard, universal deadlines" may be inaccurate, as survival can be prolonged in rare conditions.
After the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria in 2023, people continued to be pulled out alive from the rubble 10 days after the tremor, contradicting expectations of survival.
Emergency and disaster experts say several factors can increase the chances of survival after the "golden window," including whether those buried have access to oxygen, water and food.
The person's health status is also a determining factor, including whether there are only minor injuries or serious injuries to internal organs. People with pre-existing medical conditions - who may not be able to access their medication or whose medications have side effects such as dehydration - have a lower chance of survival, experts say.
Summer conditions in northern Venezuela are hot and dry, which can increase the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion among those buried.
The earthquakes hit the north coast of Venezuela on Wednesday night (24) with an interval of less than a minute and caused collapses and damage to buildings in the country's capital, Caracas, and other cities.
The second tremor, of magnitude 7.5, was the strongest to hit the country since 1900, according to the USGS (United States Geological Survey, its acronym in Portuguese).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Thursday regretting the death of two Brazilians in Venezuela, victims of the earthquake that hit the country.
"The MRE informs, with great regret, the death of a Brazilian citizen as a result of the earthquakes that hit Venezuela. The MRE informs that it is providing consular assistance to the families of the victims. In compliance with the right to privacy, the MRE will not disclose personal information of the deceased", says the statement.
Source: CNN