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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Disasters & Emergencies

International rescuer warns against entering compromised buildings after Venezuela quakes

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • An international rescuer advised citizens against entering compromised buildings after earthquakes in Venezuela to retrieve bodies.
  • The rescuer emphasized that such actions endanger more lives and that specific safety protocols must be followed.
  • He warned that any misstep inside damaged structures could cause them to collapse.

An international rescuer has strongly advised citizens in Venezuela not to enter buildings that have been compromised by recent seismic activity to retrieve bodies. The warning comes after video circulated showing a group of people attempting to enter a damaged structure.

What you are doing can be counterproductive. Instead of taking one out, how many are here?

— International RescuerAddressing a group of citizens attempting to enter a compromised building.

"What you are doing can be counterproductive. Instead of taking one out, how many are here?" the rescuer questioned the group, pointing to the men. He clarified that rescue bodies have not refused to perform extractions but that the work is dangerous and requires specific safety protocols.

It's not that the rescue teams didn't want to do it, but to get one body out of there, you will have to get 10. It's something you have to keep in mind.

— International RescuerExplaining the dangers and complexities of body extraction from damaged structures.

"It's not that the rescue teams didn't want to do it, but to get one body out of there, you will have to get 10. It's something you have to keep in mind," he stated. He stressed that any movement inside these unstable buildings could trigger a complete collapse. "Keep in mind that any false move you make, all of this will come down on you," he warned.

Keep in mind that any false move you make, all of this will come down on you.

— International RescuerWarning about the risk of collapse when entering compromised buildings.

The rescuer reiterated that if rescue teams have not extracted bodies from compromised buildings, it is because "more lives will be lost." He urged adherence to established safety procedures to prevent further tragedy.

more lives will be lost.

— International RescuerExplaining the reason why rescue teams might not have extracted bodies from compromised buildings.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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