Venezuela: Seismic aftershock revives terror, death toll climbs to 1,719

A magnitude 4.6 aftershock rattled northern Venezuela on Monday, reigniting terror in a region still grappling with the aftermath of devastating earthquakes that have claimed over 1,700 lives. The tremor, felt strongly in Caracas and La Guaira, sent residents fleeing their makeshift shelters into the streets, fearing further collapses.

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I was asleep when the tremors woke me. It felt almost as strong as Wednesday's earthquake, even though I hadn't felt the other aftershocks.

The aftershock struck near La Guaira, the area hardest hit by the initial quakes, early Monday morning. While officials reported no new damage, the sirens plunged inhabitants into a fresh wave of panic. Since Wednesday, the region has recorded 609 aftershocks, underscoring the ongoing seismic instability.

Many survivors are now sleeping outdoors on mattresses or in temporary tents, their homes destroyed or deemed unsafe. Hundreds of displaced families have sought refuge in Parque del Este, a large green space in the capital, with their numbers steadily increasing. "Life is worth more than anything," said one resident who fled her home with her four children, unwilling to risk staying in a building that had already shown signs of structural failure.

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Life is worth more than anything. We weren't going to wait for the house to fall on us, since a concrete slab had already come loose.

Rescue operations continued amidst the aftershocks, with a glimmer of hope emerging as a 21-year-old man was pulled alive from rubble in La Guaira on Monday. The previous day, a father and his teenage son were also rescued. However, the ongoing seismic activity and the sheer scale of the destruction continue to dim hopes for finding more survivors.

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What we need most is a tent or at least a mattress to sleep on. Thank God, the neighbors bring us food, but we have nowhere to sleep.