Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Nears 3,000; Survivor Recounts Ordeal
At a glance
- The official death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela’s coast 10 days ago has risen to 2,954, the government announced on Saturday.
- More than 16,000 people are now homeless, with many living in official shelters or tent encampments.
- Nearly 30,000 officials and 3,281 international rescue workers have been deployed to assist those affected.
Story so far: The official death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela’s coast 10 days ago has risen to 2,954, the government announced on Saturday. More than 16,000 people are now homeless, with many living in official shelters or tent encampments.
Latest development: International rescue teams have begun winding down search operations for survivors, 10 days after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24. The United Nations has estimated that as many as 50,000 people may be unaccounted…
The official death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela’s coast 10 days ago has risen to 2,954, the government announced on Saturday. More than 16,000 people are now homeless, with many living in official shelters or tent encampments.
Nearly 30,000 officials and 3,281 international rescue workers have been deployed to assist those affected. An unofficial tally of missing persons stands at just over 41,000.
In the hard-hit state of La Guaira, one survivor, Juan Zapata, recounted being trapped for two days and seven hours in the rubble of his apartment building. He was on the fifth floor when the quake struck and was eventually pulled out from what rescuers told him was the lower basement.
Zapata is now recovering from several fractured ribs and other injuries at a field hospital. He said he lost all his material possessions, including his phone and identification documents, and has been unable to contact his family abroad.
The field hospital, run by the disaster relief group Samaritan’s Purse as part of aid efforts coordinated with the U.S. State Department, has treated approximately 400 patients so far. Pakistan News will update this story as more confirmed details become available.
Latest Updates
International rescue teams have begun winding down search operations for survivors, 10 days after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24. The United Nations has estimated that as many as 50,000 people may be unaccounted for following the 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude quakes.
US rescue squads from Los Angeles County, Florida, and Virginia were reportedly finishing their operations over the weekend. The critical window for finding survivors in such disasters typically ends after 72 hours, though a few people were found alive this week.
Interim President Delcy Rodriquez held a ceremony to honor the international teams. She acknowledged the “profound grief gripping our people, where families still hold out hope of finding loved ones alive.”
Many Venezuelans have expressed anger at what they perceive as a slow government response to the disaster.
Sources: Dawn News
The death toll from the earthquake in Venezuela has now risen to 3,000, according to the latest available reports.
Sources: ARY News
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