Full story
Quakes, deaths, and response
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez defended the country’s emergency response to the twin earthquakes that have killed more than 3,000 people, speaking during a military ceremony marking Venezuela’s independence day.
Venezuela’s information ministry said on Sunday night that the number of people killed in the quakes had risen to 3,342, while the number of people injured had passed 16,700.
The Guardian reported that the shocks collapsed scores of buildings and left thousands homeless, especially in the coastal La Guaira area north of the capital, Caracas.
The Guardian also described how Rosa López’s 25-year-old son-in-law, José Antonio Toledo, was found under the building where he was working as a security guard when the quakes struck, and how crews took his body to a local hospital where staff turned them away because there was no space.
The Guardian added that forensic technician Joel Mirabal has worked for seven days straight since the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck, estimating that in 60% to 70% of cases a relative or neighbour is available to identify a body when he comes to collect it.
Aid, equipment, and disputes
The U.S. military continued relief efforts in Venezuela on Friday with the delivery of the last of 10 U.S. Marine Corps Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVRs) to assist victims of last week’s deadly earthquakes.
Fox News said a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft transported the last of the 10 MTVRs at Simón Bolívar International Airport, where the U.S. military’s Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Center (HACC) was working with local authorities, the State Department and other agencies.
Fox News reported that the Trump administration mobilizing $150 million in humanitarian relief came after 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes last week, and that the death toll from the natural disaster stands at nearly 2,000 and continues to rise.
In a separate dispute over the response, the Miami Herald said Venezuela’s interim government defended its decision to militarize the state of La Guaira as the death toll from last week’s earthquakes climbed to 2,595.
The Miami Herald quoted Rodríguez saying, “As long as there is even one point where there may be someone alive, we will continue.”
Relief funding and next phase
Brazilian footballer Neymar donated USD 250,000 for Venezuela earthquake relief efforts, with the funds allocated to immediate assistance including food, drinking water, medical supplies, and temporary shelters.
The News Mill reported Neymar saying, “My heart goes out to the people of Venezuela,” as quoted by El Sumario.com, expressing hope that the contribution would provide strength and relief to affected families.
The Guardian described how international rescue teams were wrapping up operations to find more survivors while families were still trying to dig out bodies of loved ones from the wreckage, and said the number of bodies found is expected to soar.
The Guardian added that Mirabal and other forensic technicians anticipate spending up to three months collecting bodies, while also warning that “Obviously, mass graves will have to be created” because “The collapse is massive, and the bodies are buried under many layers of debris.”
The Miami Herald said authorities have established 46 temporary camps housing 11,546 displaced residents who lost their homes in the earthquake, and that officials are using a “traffic light” classification system to determine which buildings are safe, which require repairs and which must be abandoned entirely.
