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🇮🇹 Italy /Disasters & Emergencies

Venezuela earthquake: UN warns of 1.2 million tons of debris

From ANSA · () Italian

Translated from Italian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • The death toll from the recent earthquake in Venezuela has surpassed 1,700, with the UN Development Programme estimating 1.2 million tons of debris.
  • Turkey has dispatched a rescue team of 75 personnel and six dogs to assist in recovery operations in the La Guaira region.
  • The UN highlights the urgent need for debris removal to reopen roads and revive the local economy, using advanced technology to assess the damage.

The devastating earthquake that struck Venezuela has claimed over 1,700 lives, leaving a trail of destruction and a monumental task of recovery. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that the seismic event generated approximately 1.2 million tons of debris, primarily in the coastal state of La Guaira.

In a show of international solidarity, Turkey has sent a specialized rescue team comprising 75 members from its disaster and emergency management agency (Afad) and military search and rescue units. Equipped with five vehicles and six dogs, the team is actively engaged in recovery efforts in the affected La Guaira region. This deployment echoes Turkey's own experience, having recently led extensive rescue operations following a devastating earthquake in its southeastern region.

the rehabilitation of infrastructures is essential to improve living conditions, strengthen social cohesion and reactivate local economies

— Luis Francisco ThaisResident Representative in Venezuela for the UN Development Programme, highlighting the importance of rebuilding efforts.

The UN's assessment underscores the critical challenge posed by the vast amount of rubble. According to the UNDP's technical report, the timely management and removal of this debris are essential first steps for reopening roads and revitalizing the local economy. The agency utilized advanced technology, combining satellite imagery and artificial intelligence, to calculate the volume of debris, which includes remnants of collapsed buildings and destroyed household items and urban furnishings in areas like Catia La Mar, Caraballeda, and Urimare.

Luis Francisco Thais, the resident representative in Venezuela for the UNDP, emphasized that infrastructure rehabilitation is crucial for improving living conditions, strengthening social cohesion, and reactivating local economies. The operation aims to transform satellite data into actionable information to guide decision-making, with a focus on reopening public facilities and creating temporary employment programs for residents.

transform satellite data into useful information for decision-making

— Luis Francisco ThaisDescribing the UNDP's approach to assessing and managing the earthquake's impact.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ANSA in Italian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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