Maiquetía.– Eight days after the devastating Venezuela earthquake that shook the country on June 24, rescue teams continue search efforts among the rubble with the hope of finding people alive, while facing the pain of a tragedy that keeps dozens of families in suspense.
During a tour conducted by De Último Minuto in the affected areas of Maiquetía, La Guaira state, the volunteer from Civil Protection and Disaster Management of Venezuela, Jean, explained that rescue operations remain active despite the passing of days.
“We are in the process of seeing if we can find more survivors,” he stated.
Venezuela Earthquake
The rescuer indicated that one of the main priorities for emergency agencies has been to keep people away from buildings that are at risk of collapse due to structural damage caused by the earthquake.
“We try to provide the maximum possible security to keep people away from the structures, because they have suffered various damages from the earthquake,” he explained.
Jean reported that he has been working continuously on response efforts for about eight days. Initially, he was collaborating in Caracas and was later transferred to La Guaira, where, as he stated, the magnitude of the devastation has been much greater.
“Caracas was also a bit affected, but it is very different here. The situation is much more difficult,” he maintained.
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Search for survivors
The volunteer described the anguish experienced by hundreds of people who remain in the vicinity of the collapsed areas waiting for news of their relatives.
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“People’s concern is because they want to know about their relatives who are still trapped among the structures,” he stated.
As part of the operation for the Venezuela earthquake, he explained that emergency teams are maintaining an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), from where they provide medical assistance and care to people who arrive physically and emotionally affected after spending long hours searching for their loved ones.
In addition to assisting the population, the rescuers themselves receive psychological support to cope with the emotional impact involved in participating in rescue efforts.
“We have had psychologists talk to us, ask us questions, and help us,” he commented.
When asked about the most difficult moment experienced during the emergency, Jean stated that what has affected him the most has been witnessing the losses suffered by Venezuelan families.
“The hardest part has been seeing the loss of belongings and of our own fellow countrymen,” he concluded.
As search and debris removal efforts continue following the Venezuela earthquake, relief agencies maintain their call for the population to respect security perimeters and facilitate the work of rescue teams deployed in the affected areas.
