The number of deaths as a result of the earthquakes in Venezuela rose to 1,430 this Saturday, the 27th, according to authorities interviewed by Associated Press. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors three days after the country was hit by two tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5.
According to the agency, families reported at least 68,900 people missing as of Saturday morning. In La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit states, residents used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and their own hands to search for relatives and neighbors under piles of concrete.
Most of the searches have been conducted by civilians, amid increased tension due to a response considered insufficient by the Venezuelan government, with soldiers, firefighters, police officers and military cadets described as unprepared to respond to the tragedy.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez stated on state TV that more than 14,000 members of the military and police forces are patrolling the region, where access has been blocked and entry now requires special permissions.
Also according to the agency, international rescue teams sent by governments from several countries arrived in Venezuela this Saturday. The Simón Bolívar international airport, which serves Caracas, was hit by the tremors and suffered significant damage. One of the runways was operational Saturday as U.S. crews worked to repair the road, Jeremy Lewin of the U.S. State Department told the AP.
