Two strong earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale hit the country last Wednesday. It caused extensive damage in the coastal La Guaira region. The area has been declared disaster prone.
The authorities have imposed restrictions on movement in the area since Friday night due to disruption in rescue operations. Due to the crisis in the government rescue operation, the locals are trying to rescue their relatives by removing the debris with their bare hands. Aid agencies have warned that a crucial 72 hours to rescue survivors after the earthquake is running out.
Government officials say special permission is required to enter the La Guaira area. However, the authority has not said anything about who will get this permission.
Locals say that the presence of government rescue teams in the affected areas is not enough. On the other hand, the government has demanded massive action.
Venezuela’s interim president, Delsey Rodriguez, said the government had deployed all its forces in the rescue effort at this ‘critical time’. He welcomed international rescue teams and humanitarian aid.
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) said on Saturday that the direct damage from the earthquake could be 4.7 to 8.7 billion dollars. Meanwhile, another 4.8 magnitude earthquake was felt in Aragua state on Saturday. However, no major damage was reported.
According to private information, tens of thousands of people are still missing. As a result, the number of dead may increase. Many of the missing are out of mobile network. So detailed information about them is not available.
As of Friday afternoon, 3,300 people have been reported injured. Apart from this, the authorities reported that 243 people were rescued alive. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 67.6 million people, including Caracas, may be affected by this disaster.
TimesBD/ rabbi
