Rising death toll in Venezuela

TT

Published 21.09

 

American rescue workers are on site searching for survivors in the landslides in La Guaira. Photo: Matias Delacroix/AP/TT

Four days after the earthquake in Venezuela, the search for survivors continues. The confirmed death toll on Sunday was 1,450, said Jorge Rodríguez, the speaker of the country's parliament.

That is slightly more than the previous day, but the actual number is feared to be much higher. The UN estimates that around 50,000 people are missing.

According to Jorge Rodríguez, at least 774 buildings have been destroyed, of which 189 have completely collapsed.

At least 2,200 foreign rescue workers have arrived in Venezuela. But frustration among residents about the authorities' response is great. There are many reports of people being forced to search for missing relatives in the rubble on their own, when professional help has not appeared.

At the same time, the country's leadership has deployed thousands of military and police to block access to the hard-hit coastal state of La Guaira.