Although the 72-hour "golden window" for rescuing survivors has passed, rescue operations continue at the site of Venezuela's powerful earthquake in hopes of a miracle. But as the death toll keeps rising, the United Nations and the Venezuelan government are preparing for the worst, securing 10,000 body bags for the recovery of victims.
According to The New York Times and the United Nations on Sunday, Venezuela's parliament reported that 1,719 people have died and 5,034 have been injured in the series of powerful earthquakes that struck on the 24th. The number of displaced people has reached 15,866, and the missing are estimated to number at least 50,000.
Gianluca Rampolla, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela, said in a video briefing at UN headquarters, "We are securing 10,000 body bags in preparation for the possibility that the death toll may rise further." He added, "It is a very painful assumption, but we hope the actual number of victims will be lower than this."
The UN, together with the Venezuelan government, is currently expanding emergency medical assistance, food, drinking water, temporary shelter, sanitation facilities, and logistical support. It also plans to set up an emergency support center in the La Guaira region for residents who have lost their homes. In addition to medical assistance, psychological counseling is being provided as well.
The damage grew like a snowball after earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude struck the northern region one after another on the 24th, followed by more than 600 aftershocks. Damage was concentrated particularly in La Guaira state and the Capital District, which includes the capital Caracas, with about 2,500 buildings identified as damaged or collapsed.
Rescue operations are still ongoing. Some 2,000 rescue workers dispatched from 27 countries and about 160 detection dogs have formed more than 40 rescue teams and are searching the site. While the golden window for rescue is generally known to be 72 hours, the search has been extended as seven more survivors were recently rescued from the rubble.
But conditions on the ground are deteriorating. About 500 aftershocks have followed the first earthquake, and an additional aftershock measuring 5.2 in magnitude occurred. On top of that, a tropical trough bringing heavy rain is approaching, posing a new threat to rescue activities and the protection of displaced people.
Vanessa Mae, the Venezuela representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said, "People who have lost their homes need emotional comfort as much as food and water." She added, "There are people waiting to learn whether their families are alive or dead, and there are people who know their families are still under the rubble. This is a moment when someone needs a hug."
The UN plans to survey damage to infrastructure such as schools and hospitals as soon as rescue operations conclude, and to begin full-scale recovery work including debris removal and the resettlement of displaced people.
