The Government has taken another step in managing the emergency caused by the devastating earthquakes that shook the country last Wednesday. The president in charge, , announced this Sunday the creation of a special commission that will inspect the affected homes to determine which can continue to be inhabited and which have risky structural damage.
The measure comes while rescue efforts continue and the country tries to recover from a catastrophe that has already left, according to official figures, and 12,721 families affected.
During an intervention broadcast on Venezuelan public television, Rodríguez explained that the commission will be made up of state agencies, engineering colleges and universities and that it will use a system similar to that of a traffic light to classify properties.
Houses marked with colors
The plan includes labeling homes with the colors green, yellow and red depending on the damage detected. The objective is to determine if families can return to their homes or if, on the contrary, they must remain evacuated until the safety of the structures is guaranteed.
“The presidential commission is already working to verify the habitability conditions, if people can return to their homes”explained the Chavista leader.
Inspections will not be limited to homes. Roads, bridges and other infrastructure that could have been affected by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that especially hit the country’s coastal strip will also be reviewed.
Camps for those who have lost everything
Rodríguez also announced the creation of a second high-level commission in charge of providing temporary accommodation for people who have lost their homes and designing construction projects to relocate those affected in the shortest possible time.
The initiative will be led by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and brother of the president, and will have the participation of several ministries and regional authorities.
The main focus continues to be in La Guaira, the state hardest hit by the earthquake, where numerous buildings collapsed and widespread damage to basic infrastructure occurred.
According to the Government, the electricity supply has already recovered by 75%, while the drinking water supply reaches 68%. The road network, for its part, would be restored to around 90%.
The rescues continue
Despite the passage of days, authorities assure that there are still possibilities of finding survivors in the rubble.
Rodríguez confirmed that during the last hours several people have been rescued alive and assured that the national and international search teams will continue working. “Rescue efforts are not suspended”he stated.
In fact, the Government reported this Sunday that 33 people have already been found alive since the emergency operations began.
Meanwhile, classes will remain suspended for at least one more week in the affected areas, a measure that seeks to facilitate recovery tasks and guarantee the safety of students and teachers in the midst of one of the greatest natural tragedies that Venezuela has suffered in recent decades.
