Desperate Search for Earthquake Survivors Continues Outside Caracas
Many regions of Venezuela severely affected by last week's twin earthquakes have yet to receive substantial government assistance, resulting in residents undertaking much of the rescue operations themselves.
In La Guaira, a port city among the hardest hit, the BBC observed individuals using crowbars, mallets, and pickaxes to attempt to extract loved ones and neighbors from the rubble. Tens of thousands remain unaccounted for.
Early Monday, an aftershock caused heightened anxiety, though no additional damage was reported.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has reported more than 1,700 fatalities, describing the event as the "most brutal natural catastrophe" in Venezuela's history.
International aid efforts have been mobilized, but prospects of finding survivors are diminishing. Overnight into Monday, a 21-year-old man was the latest individual rescued alive after being trapped for over 100 hours.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within 39 seconds of each other on Wednesday in the northern state of La Guaira, leading to the collapse of nearly 800 buildings.
Monday's aftershock, measured at magnitude 4.6, again shook La Guaira and the capital, Caracas.
In nearby Catia La Mar, primary search-and-rescue operations continue to be conducted by local volunteers and international teams amid frustration directed at authorities.
The BBC noted the presence of Venezuelan police and army personnel on streets in the most affected areas, but not actively engaged in rubble clearance.
Ruben Rojas, a 32-year-old electrician who has been digging through debris using only gloves and a hard hat, stated: "The civil protection people decided to help, but they don't have the equipment. The government doesn't give it. They are just like us, working with their hands."
In La Guaira city, deployment of earth-moving machinery has been inconsistent and delayed, with local residents laboring for days on single buildings before heavy equipment arrived too late.
Carolyn Zerpa, 39, has been manually searching for her father and brother beneath the rubble.
She told BBC Mundo, "You can't really do much with just a pickaxe."
Her efforts have shifted from rescue to recovery, aiming to locate the remains of her family to provide a proper burial.
Zuly Marín, a La Guaira resident for 15 years, expressed that while such a disaster may be difficult to prepare for, the response was too slow, worsened by Venezuela's severe economic crisis.
She said, "I lost my niece and my brother-in-law. I think that if they [the rescuers and digging equipment] had come sooner, many people could have been saved."
Community Efforts and Limited Official Presence
Residents and volunteers continue to search the rubble primarily with their bare hands.
In El Junquito, a mountainous area west of Caracas, locals reported to that few public officials have been seen, with farmers and other residents providing essential supplies to the community.
Resident Keily Ibarra, 33, told , "We are waiting for answers, for debris to be cleaned up, for inspections, for people who have been really affected to be helped."
President Rodríguez has announced the formation of a commission to evaluate the damage. Speaking on state television, she explained that the commission would determine who could safely return home using a color-coded traffic light system to classify safety levels.
The commission will be chaired by her brother, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. Temporary camps are being established to shelter those displaced.
Latest Rescue and International Aid
The 21-year-old man rescued, Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas, was found in Caraballeda by teams from Venezuela, Mexico, and El Salvador, according to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele on Monday.
Bukele stated that Vargas is receiving specialized medical care and that rescuers will "continue working with the hope of being able to save more lives."
Additional international aid pledges have been made. The United States has announced over $300 million (£227 million) in aid to Venezuela, an increase from its previous commitment of $150 million.
The US State Department specified that "these funds will provide emergency medical care, food assistance, water and sanitation, shelter, protection, and logistics."
The US frigate USS Fort Lauderdale is currently stationed off the coast of La Guaira, with sailors and Marines using landing and amphibious craft to deliver aid to the most affected coastal regions.
The Netherlands has also declared it is sending a vessel loaded with emergency supplies, while China has pledged nearly $15 million in assistance.
