There are already nine Spaniards killed by the double earthquake in Venezuela. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised the figure in the last hour and maintains the number of missing persons, which at the moment stands at 131. In addition, it is known that 14 nationals are being rescued from the rubble. Among the deceased is the death of the Government delegate in the Canary Islands, Iabel Jara.
According to the latest data provided by the Venezuelan Government headed by Delcy Rodríguez, the scenario is bleak: at least 1,430 people have diedthere are more than 3,300 injured as a result of earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5. In addition, 3,142 people have lost their homes.
The Spanish ministry insists that all consular emergency lines, which can be consulted on social networks of the ministry and the embassy in Caracas, are open and Spaniards in Venezuela are asked to use them.
A plane with Spanish repatriates lands in Torrejón de Ardoz
A Ministry of Defense plane landed this morning at the Torrejón air base, on the outskirts of Madrid, with a hundred Spaniards who were in Venezuela for tourism or visiting the country when the double earthquake occurred last Wednesday.
The passengers were transferred this Saturday from Caracas by bus to the El Libertador air base, in Maracay, where they took the plane Airbus A330 of the Ministry of Defense that transferred members of the UME from Spain to Venezuela for rescue tasks and in which they flew during the night towards Spain.
Aid increases
Venezuela has received more than 1,600 rescuers to care for the victims of the earthquakes, as reported by the Venezuelan vice minister for Europe and North America, Oliver Blanco.
In his X account, the official noted that 17 flights have landed on Venezuelan soil with rescuers and that in the next 24 hours the arrival of 25 additional flights from El Salvador, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Ecuador, Spain, Chile, Colombia, the Netherlands, Italy and the United States and ten other countries are expected.
Likewise, dozens of machines have entered various areas of La Guaira to promote rescue efforts reinforced because they have arrived in the country since Friday.
The celebration for the arrival of the aid has been widespread among the residents of the Caraballeda parish and the surrounding area who until Friday were complaining that the machinery was taking a long time to arrive. “Today they (the machinery) have been seen with more intensity and they have arrived,” celebrated a citizen in statements to the agency Efe.
The chances of finding survivors decrease but there are always “miracles”
Almost 72 hours after the earthquakes, specialists warn that the chances of locating survivors decrease as the hours go by, although the search work continues uninterrupted and that has borne unexpected results with the rescue of a woman, according to the latest information. Rescue teams maintain priority in areas where there are signs of trapped people.
6.7 billion in losses
According to a satellite assessment based on the Rapid Digital Analysis (RAPIDA) of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the damage caused to homes and economic assets, such as vehicles, buildings or businesses after the two earthquakes has a preliminary estimate of $6.7 billion.
According to a UNDP statement, the evaluation is based on seismic models, satellite images and population data and was carried out in the hours after the earthquakes of June 24, of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, which occurred near the northern coast of Venezuela.
Field hospital and shelters
The resident coordinator of the United Nations System in Venezuela, Gianluca Rampollareported this Saturday to Efe that the organization has installed three field hospitals in the state of La Guaira. In this way, he explained that the objective is to be able to care for those most affected on site with these hospitals because he believes it is not sustainable to transfer them all to health centers in Caracas.
Likewise, he said that they are coordinating with the Venezuelan authorities the installation of “multi-service shelters” (with bathrooms and dining rooms) to serve all those people who lost their homes due to the earthquake.
These shelters, he explained in his statements to the media, will be installed as close to the affected communities so that citizens do not have to make long trips. In addition, he reported that a plane has already arrived with 20 tons, including supplies for water purification.
