Now, seven days after the June 24 double earthquakes struck Venezuela with such devastating and still unfolding results, and two days past the 72-hour window in which people under the rubble might have been found alive, the likelihood of finding survivors is very much diminished. The official death rate is close to 2,000 but with the large number of dead under the rubble, the final toll will be much, much higher. Fifty-thousand people are officially missing. Nonetheless, international search and rescue teams from about 30 countries, plus international organizations, continue to do an incredible job of coordination and solidarity in ongoing rescue operations despite the dire situation and the passage of time.
There are many volunteers, including family members and friends still working against hope that they might find loved ones, but international teams are advising them to proceed with great caution and care. Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto issued a statement today saying that “solidarity is the greatest act of love among nations. From Venezuela, we express our most sincere gratitude to each nation, government and international institution that has responded by sending humanitarian aid and specialized personnel…Thanks for standing by our side in these difficult moments.” The Foreign Ministry today reported that Mexico is sending another 127 rescue workers, adding to the 250 Mexicans already in Venezuela.
