Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 2,595

RESCUE IN VENEZUELA
The number of deaths caused by the earthquakes that hit Venezuela rose to 2,595, according to a report released this Thursday (2) by the Venezuelan government.
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▶ Context: On the night of June 24, two earthquakes in a row hit the northern region of Venezuela, where Caracas is located.
In addition to the deaths, the tremors caused buildings to collapse, destroyed houses and left a trail of destruction in the capital and neighboring cities.
The earthquakes were the strongest recorded in the country in more than a century.
In total, more than 26 thousand people were affected by the earthquakes, according to the most recent estimates from the United Nations (UN). Of this total, 12,841 had to leave their homes because of the destruction caused by the tremors.
In a press conference this Thursday, the interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, stated that 189 buildings had completely collapsed and said that almost all public servants in the state of La Guaira died in the earthquakes.
According to her, around 4 thousand agents were mobilized shortly after the tremors to help the victims. Rodríguez also stated that search and rescue operations continue in the affected areas.
The interim president also announced that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have offered financial assistance and lines of credit to support the reconstruction of the devastated areas.
According to her, the government will create, in partnership with the IMF, a US$200 million fund aimed at rebuilding destroyed homes. The resources will be passed on to companies responsible for the works.
Delcy did not update the number of injuries during the statement. A report released by the government on Wednesday (1st) showed more than 11,000 injured.
Search for survivors continues
Venezuelan authorities and foreign support teams continue to search for people buried under the rubble in the affected regions.
The work is supported by specialized teams from 31 countries, including Brazil, who sent firefighters and trained professionals to carry out rescue operations.
Faced with a shortage of labor and equipment, many Venezuelans have helped in the search manually.
The more time passes, the lower the chances of finding people alive among the rubble. Disaster response experts say the first 48 to 72 hours are decisive in locating survivors.
After this period, operations usually focus on removing bodies.
The humanitarian emergency worsens in the country with the lack of food and shelter for tens of thousands of people who remain on the streets after the double earthquake.
In the state of La Guaira, the most devastated, there is a widespread shortage of food and basic services have collapsed, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Rescuers rescue man alive after eight days of burial
Survivor is rescued from the rubble 8 days after the earthquakes in Venezuela;
The country's rescue teams rescued a Venezuelan who had been trapped for eight days under the rubble of a shopping mall in the La Guaira region. The moment of rescue was witnessed by GloboNews reporter Pedro Pannunzio.
Hernán Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, had been buried in the security guard of the building where he worked in Catia La Mar. He was taken out on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to Caracas, about 40 kilometers away.
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Khaterine Roa cries as members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department search for survivors in a building that collapsed during the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela.
Matias Delacroix/AP Photo
The earthquakes could trigger a growing medical crisis, marked by untreated injuries, infectious diseases and a health system already on the brink of collapse, according to medical authorities.
Thousands of homeless Venezuelans sleep in overcrowded shelters or out in the open without access to clean water, amid precarious sanitary conditions.
Members of humanitarian aid teams say the consequences of the earthquakes have turned into a major medical crisis that, if not contained quickly, could claim more victims in the coming days and weeks.
The emergency exposed the chronic shortage of doctors in Venezuela, the result of years of economic crisis, lack of funds and emigration.

Source: G1