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Venezuela focuses on debris removal and body recovery as international rescuers depart
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Disasters & Emergencies

Venezuela focuses on debris removal and body recovery as international rescuers depart

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Venezuela is focusing on debris removal and recovering bodies after international rescue teams departed.
  • Nearly 3,000 rescuers from 31 countries initially responded to the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes on June 24.
  • The earthquakes have caused 2,954 deaths and over 16,500 injuries, with ongoing displacement of residents.

In the aftermath of Venezuela's devastating earthquakes, the focus has shifted from rescue to recovery as international teams withdraw. Dozens of heavy machinery vehicles have arrived in La Guaira, a heavily impacted area, to clear debris and aid in the retrieval of bodies.

Starting on the seventh day, teams begin to demobilize, although there are still teams that arrived later who continue, especially from Latin America. They continue working in places where there are reports of life, but the majority are working with local teams in the recovery of bodies.

— Sebastián MocarquerRepresentative of the United Nations for Disaster Assessment and Coordination (Undac), explaining the withdrawal of international rescue teams.

Sebastián Mocarquer, a representative from the UN's Disaster Assessment and Coordination (Undac) team, explained that while some Latin American teams continue to assist in areas where survivors might still be found, most international efforts have concluded. The UN coordinating body has handed over operations to Venezuela's Civil Protection agency.

Venezuelan officials, including acting president Delcy Rodríguez, have honored rescuers from nearly 30 countries. However, the scale of the disaster is evident in areas like Caraballeda, where families remain near collapsed buildings, awaiting the recovery of loved ones. The earthquakes, which struck on June 24, registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, resulting in 2,954 fatalities and over 16,500 injuries.

What we are seeing now is that there are increasing displacements towards states that have not been affected.

— Veronique DurrouxSpokesperson for OCHA Latin America and the Caribbean, noting population movement after the earthquakes.

As recovery efforts continue, a significant number of displaced residents are relocating to unaffected states like Táchira, Zulia, and Delta Amacuro. Mariana Hernández, who has been camped near a collapsed 12-story building for 11 days, expressed the community's reliance on local volunteers and family support for the arduous task of recovering her sister, her husband, and their two children.

The people you see working here are purely people who have family here and support that has arrived from other states (in the country).

— Mariana HernándezA woman waiting for her family members to be recovered from a collapsed building, highlighting community and family efforts.
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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