Rio de Janeiro, July 2, (dpa/GNA) – One week after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, the death toll has risen to at least 2,295, while 11,267 people have been injured, National Assembly President Jorge RodrĂguez said on Wednesday.
More than 26,000 emergency personnel and over 17,000 volunteers are deployed in the affected areas. The search for survivors is ongoing, although hopes of finding more trapped survivors are fading as the disaster enters its second week.
RodrĂguez said 6,461 people have so far been pulled alive from the rubble. Since the twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck on June 24, authorities have recorded 782 aftershocks. While their frequency and intensity have declined, officials warned that the risk of another major tremor has not completely passed.
The Pan American Health Organization said the disaster, could trigger a worsening public health emergency. According to the agency, hundreds of thousands of people still require medical assistance. It appealed for $24 million in international aid to help procure medicines and vaccines and stabilize healthcare services in the hardest-hit regions, over the next six months.
Acting President Delcy RodrĂguez, declared seven days of national mourning on Wednesday, and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Her handling of the disaster has come under increasing scrutiny, however, with many Venezuelans calling the government’s response slow and inadequate.
GNA