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Venezuelans left alone to recover loved ones as rescue effort winds down; death toll climbs to 3,535
ABC7 Los Angeles • • world
Key Points:
- After Venezuela's twin earthquakes, many survivors like Noel Márquez have been left to recover their loved ones' remains themselves due to a lack of government assistance and heavy machinery.
- The death toll has risen to 3,535 with over 16,740 injured, but thousands remain missing amid ongoing searches hampered by limited resources and decomposing bodies.
- International rescue teams, including those from the US, Italy, Argentina, and Spain, are departing as local authorities shift focus to shelter and reconstruction efforts under the "Venezuela Reborn" program.
- Families and residents criticize the government for slow disaster response, inadequate rescue efforts, and substandard construction of public housing that collapsed in the earthquakes.
- Many survivors face the traumatic task of digging through rubble with rudimentary tools, sometimes pooling funds to rent cranes themselves, as official support remains minimal or absent.
