- The USGS says a magnitude 4.6 aftershock struck north of Caracas.
- La Guaira in focus as round-the-clock search operations enter day five.
- El Junquito residents accuse authorities of a slow and uneven aid response.
EL JUNQUITO: Frustration is growing across Venezuela over the lack of aid and coordinated government response in areas affected by the deadly twin earthquakes last Wednesday, residents of some hardest-hit cities said Monday.
In El Junquito, a small mountainous region about 33 kilometers (20 miles) west of Caracas where Venezuelans often vacation on weekends, residents say they have seen few public officials, while farmers and other residents have been providing basic supplies to the community.
“We are waiting for answers, for the debris to be cleaned up, for inspections to be carried out, for the people who have really been affected to be helped,” said Keily Ibarra, a 33-year-old manicurist who is leading citizen complaints to authorities. He called on the government to do “whatever is necessary.”
The El Junquito shopping center was largely destroyed by the earthquakes, and collapsed buildings were visible during a Reuters visit. Several residents with nowhere else to go have set up tents in an open field, despite the risk posed by damaged and collapsed buildings nearby.
“We don’t know where we’re going to be located or how long we’re going to be here,” said Tony Abreu, a local candy store owner who has been living in a tent since the earthquakes because his home and business are unsafe.
The rising death toll
Separately, a hotel near the Maiquetía airport where more than 140 people deported from the United States, including seven children, were staying while being processed by Venezuelan authorities, collapsed during the earthquakes, according to two families of deportees. Most are believed to have been murdered.
The government’s Great Homeland Mission, which manages the processing of deportees, had shared videos online of those who arrived, including children receiving toys, on Wednesday.
While several international aid and rescue groups have mobilized toward Venezuela, most of the aid has been focused on La Guaira, the hardest-hit state in a country long mired in a deep political and economic crisis.
The international community has come together to help Venezuela face the disaster. Officials said the oil-rich South American country has received support from 30 nations, including 1,000 metric tons of supplies, more than 3,600 rescue and support workers, as well as 118 search and rescue canines.
The death toll continued to rise. Jorge Rodríguez, brother of the acting president and president of the National Assembly, this Monday put the number of confirmed deaths at 1,719, 5,034 injured and 15,866 homeless.
Monday’s power outages prevented the restart of a refinery, a petrochemical complex and other industrial plants in the country’s central region, industry sources said.
Despite those problems, state oil company PDVSA did not expect any nationwide fuel shortages, as production from refineries in the country’s eastern and western regions is able to meet demand, even after increased use by rescue teams, they said.
Oil production and exports remained normal, the sources said.
Search for survivors amid aftershocks
The homes of Caracas residents were rocked by an aftershock early Monday, as rescue teams searched around the clock for a fifth day.
The magnitude 4.6 aftershock struck north of Caracas early Monday at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey, but Rodríguez said no damage was immediately reported.
It was the latest of hundreds of aftershocks since last Wednesday that have rattled national and international teams carrying out rescue efforts, with each rescue bringing hope as the window to find survivors narrows.
Among the apparent miracles was the rescue of 21-year-old Aaron Levi from a collapsed building in the devastated state of La Guaira, pulled out after 106 hours trapped under rubble in a rescue operation that lasted 43 hours, according to Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.
After announcing the updated death toll, Assembly President Rodríguez said that 15 shelters and 50 provisional camps had been set up in La Guaira to help people affected by the earthquakes.
He applauded Venezuelans for their calm and strength, and attributed any anger against the government to misinformation.
“Do not pay attention to rumors, do not get carried away by manipulation strategies on social networks or media manipulation that seek nothing more than to increase discomfort and anxiety,” said Rodríguez. “Official information is the only one that truly has the truth to share with you.”
A senior U.S. administration official said three U.S. citizens are known to have died and 12 are missing since the earthquakes, and that a State Department task force has responded to more than 300 inquiries from Americans seeking advice. A second official said they estimate there are approximately 5,000 U.S. citizens in Venezuela.
