Woman rescued from Venezuelan earthquake rubble
A woman has been dragged alive from a skyscraper after a massive earthquake killed hundreds of people in Venezuela.
Rescue efforts continued on June 27 in Venezuela after two earthquakes killed at least 1,400 people and injured thousands more.
Two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 occurred within a minute of each other on June 24, causing immediate and devastating damage. Buildings and homes were destroyed and hospitals were damaged.
Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez said on June 26 that she spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and “reaffirmed the support of the US government during this difficult time for Venezuela.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the ground in the Caracas metropolitan area shook again on June 26, this time with a small magnitude 4.7 earthquake just after 6 p.m. local time.
Here’s what we know about the aftermath of June 27th.
Venezuela earthquake, death toll exceeds 1,000
The latest figures released by Venezuelan authorities on June 27 show that at least 1,430 people were killed and more than 3,200 injured in the three-day-old earthquake. The death toll continues to rise as rescuers comb through the wreckage.
Congressman Jorge Rodríguez also said on state television on June 27 that more than 3,000 people were homeless.
At least 172 people are known to be trapped. Officials had previously disclosed this on June 26th.
The death toll is likely to rise as crews search the devastated area. The USGS said its data predicts the number of victims could be in the thousands.
International rescue teams flood into the country as search continues
The Venezuelan government announced on June 27 that around 1,600 international rescue workers had entered the country and were sifting through rubble and collapsed buildings in a desperate search for survivors. Foreign Ministry official Oliver Blanco said he expected 25 more rescue flights to arrive in the next 24 hours.
“We would like to thank the international community for their support and solidarity during this uncertain time for the Venezuelan people,” Blanco said.
The United States announced it was sending $150 million in aid to Venezuela, as well as ships and aircraft to assist in search efforts.
Rescuers arriving in recent days included a 50-person team from El Salvador, which began operations in the seaside area of Los Corales, Reuters reported. They were searching for life using drones, dogs and heat scanners.
“People say they can hear people’s voices. When they call, they answer, and they hear people shouting and calling,” team leader Roberto Gavidia told the outlet.
Contributed by: Reuters
