Huge devastation caused by earthquake in Venezuela, death toll crosses 1,700; Relief operation continues

Caracas (Venezuela). Two earthquakes that occurred five days ago in Venezuela, located at the northern end of the South American continent, have caused massive destruction. The death toll has increased to 1,719. 5,034 people are injured and thousands are still missing. Relief and rescue operations are continuing on a war footing. The operation is facing difficulties due to aftershocks and damaged buildings.

According to CNN report, National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday that at least 1,719 people have died so far. 5,034 people have been injured, while a large number are still missing.

Two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 were recorded on Wednesday evening. Their tremors were also felt in the neighboring country Colombia. These are considered to be the most destructive earthquakes to hit Venezuela in the last century.

Rodriguez said the US Geological Survey says there is a 44 percent chance that the total death toll could be 10,000 or more. He said that at least 22,619 people have been affected by these tremors.

At least 855 buildings were damaged, of which 189 completely collapsed. He said that since the earthquake on Wednesday, there have been 609 aftershocks. Many people felt one of these shocks this morning.

International aid groups have reached Venezuela to help in relief efforts. Many homeless people have no place to live after this disaster.

The most devastation occurred in La Guaira state, the capital Caracas and surrounding areas. Israel’s disaster relief team will leave for Venezuela on Tuesday. This announcement was made by Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

The team will include members of the ministry as well as rescue workers from Israel’s Home Front Command. Later, experts from the National Emergency Management Authority will also participate in it. This aid to Venezuela is important for Israel, because the two countries have not had any diplomatic relations for many years.

Authorities in Caracas are using a “traffic light” system to track damage to infrastructure. The Chacao Mayor’s Office in Caracas has started assessing the damage caused by the earthquake. This work is being done especially in Los Palos Grandes area.

For this they are using the traffic light system. The buildings marked green are fit for habitation. The yellow mark indicates moderate damage and the red mark indicates that it is not safe to enter the building.

The damage is visible everywhere in Venezuela. From cracks on the exteriors of buildings to huge cracks on the roads. Some areas and buildings have been kept closed to the general public until necessary investigations are conducted.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez said experts were in La Guerra, Miranda and Caracas to determine whether the homes were habitable. He said officials are also preparing plans to build new houses for those made homeless.

Some happy moments were also seen during the search and rescue operations. For example, safely evacuating a newborn baby and a woman trapped for three days. Officials hope the arrival of foreign aid and rescue workers will help meet humanitarian needs.

NASA researchers estimate that about 58,870 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the two earthquakes that struck central and northern Venezuela, according to a report based on satellite radar data.

In this report, the radar of the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellite was used to detect the impact of the earthquake. It is reported that this is a quick and preliminary assessment by Oregon University researchers Corey Sher and Jamon van den Hoek.