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Silence falls in La Guaira as rescuers hunt for life in earthquake rubble
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Disasters & Emergencies

Silence falls in La Guaira as rescuers hunt for life in earthquake rubble

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Rescue efforts continue in Venezuela's La Guaira state following a major earthquake, with search teams listening for signs of life under rubble.
  • Rescuers, military, and international teams are using specialized equipment like geophones to detect survivors six days after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude tremors.
  • Officials report over 1,943 deaths and 10,500 injuries, with hope dwindling but the search for survivors persisting.

Silence descends upon La Guaira, Venezuela, as rescue teams intensify their search for survivors of the devastating earthquake. In the coastal state, the hardest hit by the tremors, the calls for silence echo through damaged neighborhoods. Rescuers, firefighters, police, and military personnel meticulously sift through debris, both manually and with heavy machinery, clinging to the hope of finding anyone alive.

Families maintain their vigil, but after six days, hope is fading. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck the region have claimed at least 1,943 lives and injured over 10,500 people. Yet, at the slightest hint of a sound, rescuers shout "silence," and all activity halts. This pause, lasting several minutes, is crucial for deploying geophones, sensitive listening devices that can detect faint movements from trapped victims.

When we ask for silence, it's very important because that's when we put the geophones in.

— Alberto VázquezA Spanish military officer explains the critical importance of silence during the search for survivors.

"When we ask for silence, it's very important because that's when we put the geophones in," explained Spanish military officer Alberto Vázquez, part of the Military Emergencies Unit deployed to Venezuela. He noted that any noise from outside could distort the readings, leading to false positives. In the Caribe residential complex in Caraballeda, multiple search operations are underway simultaneously. Various security forces and rescue teams coordinate their efforts, alerting each other to potential signs of life.

Despite the grim statistics and diminishing chances, the search persists. Venezuelan President Jorge Rodríguez urged continued efforts, stating, "We must maintain the incessant search for people alive. We must maintain the hope of continuing to find people alive under the rubble." The government reports over 6,461 people rescued, supported by a significant international presence of rescue teams, dogs, and equipment.

We must maintain the incessant search for people alive. We must maintain the hope of continuing to find people alive under the rubble.

— Jorge RodríguezThe President of the Venezuelan Parliament emphasizes the ongoing commitment to finding survivors.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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