United News of Bangladesh

The death toll from last week's twin earthquakes in Venezuela has climbed to more than 3,500, while nearly 18,000 people remain homeless, raising fears of a worsening public health crisis. Lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday that the official death toll had reached 3,535. The earthquakes also injured 16,740 people and left 17,854 without homes. At least 12,800 displaced people are now staying in 80 temporary shelters across Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira, the areas worst affected by the disaster. The powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck within seconds of each other on June 24, causing widespread destruction in and around Caracas and La Guaira. Around 60,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed. In La Guaira, Reuters witnesses saw trucks carrying coffins and forensic teams working as heavy machinery dug burial trenches in an area marked with white crosses. Health experts have warned that the disaster could trigger a major public health emergency as thousands of survivors continue to live in overcrowded shelters or outdoors without clean water or proper sanitation. Many people are still suffering from untreated injuries, while infectious diseases are becoming an increasing concern as Venezuela's already strained healthcare system struggles to cope. "The next major challenge will be infections among people who have been exposed to the disaster for a long time," said Eugenio Cova, head of the trauma unit at Hospital Jose Gregorio Hernandez in Caracas. He said hospitals were continuing to treat patients with serious injuries, but infections were making the situation more difficult. Reports of illness are already increasing. Residents in temporary shelters have complained of diarrhoea and other diseases, while calling for portable toilets, better sanitation and government support to reduce overcrowding and prevent the spread of infections. Meanwhile, frustration is growing over the government's rescue and relief efforts. In many affected communities, local residents, volunteers and humanitarian workers have taken the lead in searching for survivors and distributing aid. Carolina Jimenez, president of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), said the government's response had been inadequate. "In most countries, the state is the first responder after a disaster. In Venezuela, the state has been the last responder," she said. In areas such as Catia la Mar, north of Caracas, residents said government assistance had either not arrived or remained insufficient, forcing volunteers and civil society groups to fill the gap. Source: Al Jazeera

Rescue teams and volunteers continued searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings in Venezuela on Monday as hopes of finding more survivors from last week's devastating twin earthquakes diminished and concerns mounted over a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Five days after the disaster, relief agencies warned that the critical window for rescuing survivors was rapidly closing, although people trapped beneath the debris could still survive if they had access to food and water. The earthquakes have left thousands homeless, raising questions over whether the cash-strapped government can effectively coordinate long-term relief and recovery efforts. The official death toll has surpassed 1,700, according to government figures. Meanwhile, a magnitude 4.6 aftershock struck the northern state of La Guaira on Monday, adding to the anxiety of residents and rescue workers. Authorities said there were no immediate reports of additional damage. Government officials, facing criticism over the pace of the response, highlighted ongoing rescue and relief efforts. Police and military personnel distributed food to displaced residents, while authorities said electricity had been restored to 90 percent of La Guaira, one of the worst-hit regions. Jorge Rodríguez, head of the National Assembly, said engineers were assessing structurally damaged buildings and that 15 temporary camps had been established to shelter displaced families. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez also praised emergency responders after rescue workers pulled a survivor from the rubble following a 43-hour operation, describing every successful rescue as "a victory for hope." Despite occasional rescue successes, many families remained waiting near collapsed buildings for news of missing relatives. Residents were again shaken after Monday's aftershock, one of more than 600 recorded since the twin earthquakes struck last Wednesday. The tremor was felt in Caracas, where many people rushed out of buildings in fear. Rescue and recovery operations are continuing as authorities and humanitarian agencies race against time to assist survivors and address the growing needs of those displaced by one of the country's deadliest natural disasters.

The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 1,450, with more than 3,000 people injured, senior lawmaker Jorge Rodríguez said on Sunday. The latest figure marks an increase of 20 deaths from the previously reported toll of 1,430. Rodríguez said 3,150 people have been injured and a total of 12,721 people have been affected by the disaster. He described the twin earthquakes as "the most brutal natural catastrophe that our country has suffered in its history" and said the country was passing through "critical hours" in efforts to save lives. According to the official, the number of buildings damaged or destroyed has also risen to 774. Meanwhile, the United Nations said there is still hope of finding survivors trapped beneath the rubble, although the window for rescue is rapidly closing. Speaking from La Guaira, UN Resident Coordinator Gianluca Rampolla said experts believe some people could still be alive because of the way certain buildings collapsed. However, he warned that "time is running short" and noted that extremely high temperatures were complicating rescue efforts. Emergency workers continue search-and-rescue operations across the affected areas as authorities race against time to locate survivors and provide assistance to thousands of displaced and injured residents. Source: BBC

Rescue teams in Venezuela continue to pull survivors from collapsed buildings three days after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, giving hope to families still searching for missing loved ones even as the death toll continues to rise. One of the latest survivors, Daniel Cordero, was rescued Friday from the rubble of a collapsed building in the coastal city of Catia La Mar. Covered in blood, he was helped onto a stretcher by rescue workers as bystanders watched and recorded the dramatic rescue. Authorities said at least 1,430 people have died following the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that hit on Wednesday. Thousands more have been injured, while tens of thousands remain missing. Officials warned the number of deaths is likely to increase. Search operations continued Saturday, with local residents leading much of the effort alongside a growing number of international rescue teams. Disaster experts say the first 48 to 72 hours after an earthquake offer the best chance of finding survivors, although people can survive longer if they have access to food and water. Across the hardest-hit areas, moments of joy have been mixed with deep grief. Rescuers pulled a 4-year-old child and an elderly man alive from the rubble, drawing applause from crowds. But many families have also received confirmation that loved ones did not survive. In La Guaira, Daritza Polo learned Friday that her mother had died in the earthquake. "I have no words," she said. Another heartbreaking scene unfolded when the bodies of siblings Leyder Rojas, 3, and Leymar Rojas, 10, were recovered from the rubble. Their grieving mother collapsed as relatives tried to comfort her. Their uncle, Ramón Eduardo, said the family was thankful that 4-year-old Adrián had been rescued alive. "We got one alive, thank God," he said. "But not all of them." Many families are still waiting for news. Noribel Mendoza and her two sons, Andrés David Molina Mendoza, 21, and Ángel Eduardo Molina Mendoza, 19, have been missing since the apartment building where they lived in La Guaira collapsed. Their aunt, Ángela Molina Castro, said the family still does not know whether they are trapped under the rubble, in a hospital or somewhere else. Friends and neighbours have been trying to clear debris by hand because rescue equipment has not yet reached the site, she said. "It's a tragedy that I'm living for the first time in my life," Molina Castro said. For some families, there has been relief. Ninoska Jarrin, who lives in Mexico City, spent two days trying to contact her father-in-law, Fernando Segundo Martínez Hernández, who lives in La Guaira. On Saturday morning, her husband finally spoke with him by phone. "He's fine, thank God," she said. Others continue to wait. Flor María González has not heard from her daughter, Dilinyer Caroley Rada González, or her three young grandchildren since the apartment building where they lived collapsed. Her other daughter remains at the disaster site, hoping rescuers will find them alive. "We still have faith," González said.