The death toll in Venezuela’s twin earthquake disaster reached 1,430 Saturday as rescue teams raced against time to find survivors and millions of people faced shortages of essential services, including clean water, sanitation and shelter.See The Video. .
The first US relief flights arrived in Caracas as the Venezuelan authorities faced growing criticism over the pace of the emergency response. Interim leader Delcy Rodríguez sought to reassure the public, saying the country was receiving support and “not alone” during the crisis.
The United States said a runway at Simón Bolívar International Airport had resumed operations, allowing C-17 military aircraft to land, while a naval vessel reached waters off Venezuela’s coast to assist relief efforts.
The UN humanitarian office OCHA said rescue and recovery teams from at least 17 countries were being prepared to support search operations and help locate survivors.
However, in badly affected areas, residents continued digging through collapsed buildings themselves in desperate attempts to save those trapped beneath the debris.
Experts say the first 72 hours after a major disaster are the most critical period for finding survivors. A rare moment of hope emerged in the coastal region of La Guaira, north of Caracas, when residents rescued an infant alive from the ruins of a collapsed apartment building more than 32 hours after the earthquakes struck.
A video shared online showed a man overcome with emotion as he carried the rescued baby in his arms.The two powerful earthquakes, which struck within a minute of each other, left at least 920 people dead, according to initial figures.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher warned that the number could rise significantly as rescue operations continue. The UN migration agency said assessments of population data and damage reports indicated that as many as 6.76 million people could be affected, requiring emergency accommodation, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, healthcare, protection services and essential supplies.
The disaster has triggered anger among Venezuelans already struggling with years of economic hardship and political instability following the US-backed effort to remove former leader Nicolás Maduro.
Yessica Mendoza said she had to take her daughter’s body to a Caracas morgue herself after her 25-year-old daughter Yesimar Rodriguez and son-in-law Jhomel Anaya, 26, were killed when their home collapsed in La Guaira.
