Death toll from Venezuela quakes nearing 3000
The death toll from deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 2,954.
According to the figures announced by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the legislative assembly of the National Assembly of Venezuela, on Saturday, the total number of injured people increased to 16 thousand 592, while the number of homeless people reached 16 thousand 309.
Rodriguez added that medical teams treated 22,445 people and about 30,000 officials, as well as 3,281 international rescue workers, were deployed to help people affected by the earthquake.
The search for survivors is still ongoing; The unofficial but widely used number of missing stands is just over 41,000.
Peter Holz, medical director of the field hospital, which is part of the U.S. State Department’s coordination with various groups providing aid to Venezuela, said that the hospital has treated about 400 patients so far, including surgeries planned to reach about 30 as of Saturday evening.
“At first it was all trauma from the earthquake, then we’ll do follow-up surgical visits,” Holz said, standing in the hospital’s pharmacy, which is normally used as a baseball field.
Samaritan’s Purse said its 100-person team will gradually hand over operations to local doctors, either continuing to work in the field or integrating all of their equipment and supplies into local clinics where they will remain indefinitely.
“It will become more of a community health center,” Holz added.
“There are so many sad stories, but there is also so much hope in the midst of it all.”
Venezuela’s Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has strongly rejected claims that his government responded too slowly to the earthquakes, following days of widespread criticism of the official response.
Some of the homeless live in official shelters, and some live in tent camps.
Civilians from all walks of life, including survivors, family members, volunteer medics and foreign rescue teams, have flocked to disaster areas since the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck on June 24.
Many of those who have excavated the rubble along with international aid agencies say the government response has been slow and ineffective, with aid such as food and medical supplies delayed and heavy machinery to remove debris during search operations unavailable.
In La Guaira, at a dilapidated public housing complex popularly known as Los Cocos, a team of civilians, usually led by Alexander Delgado, a physical education teacher, was still trying to pull out victims on Saturday, since Delgado arrived from Aragua state.
Miguel Poleo joined the crew to search for his stepdaughter and her family. So far he has only found his dead dog under the rubble.
“I don’t think they’re alive anymore,” he said as he rested after removing debris from the tunnel.
“The president said help was coming quickly, but that wasn’t the case,” Poleo said.
“We got help from ordinary people.”
He said although groups of soldiers were assisting in rescue efforts, official presence was still lacking.
“The police are walking around with their guns, their semi-automatics, as if we were in a war,” Poleo said.
“What we need them to do is work.”
Poleo and Delgado said they will stay until all the victims are found.
Poleo, who worked as a mechanic before the earthquake, wants to give his wife the chance to bury their daughter and grandchildren.
“We need to find the bodies.”
