More than 96 hours have passed since what has been recognized as the “greatest natural disaster” in Venezuela’s history last week, when two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, shook seven states along the western coast.
Authorities reported on Sunday an estimated 1,450 dead and 3,150 injured, with 12,721 people affected, and 774 buildings damaged or collapsed, 189 of which were destroyed and 585 suffered partial damage.
Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly (Parliament), pointed out that the number of rescue experts has increased to 2,624, along with 137 search and rescue dogs, 49 support vehicles, and 84.4 tons of equipment, medicines, and medical and surgical supplies.
The number of specialists is expected to increase in the last few hours with the arrival of specialists from Cuba, a second group from Mexico, and more are expected from Vietnam, joining those from Mexico, the United States, El Salvador, Switzerland, Colombia, France, Spain, Ecuador, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Turkiye, Italy, and Panama.
There are also brigades from Qatar, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, India, Argentina, Peru, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, and other countries.
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