Rescuers sifting through the rubble of buildings destroyed by a devastating earthquake in Venezuela have discovered that some structures were constructed with what appears to be Styrofoam.
The country was struck by a 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude double-earthquake on Wednesday, and the official death toll has risen to 1,430. Coastal La Guaira, near the capital Caracas, is the hardest-hit state, with rescue efforts ongoing despite the arrival of foreign and domestic teams.
Top lawmaker Jorge Rodríguez described the event as "the most disastrous" the country has experienced in 123 years, with entire neighborhoods reduced to debris. The government has reported over 3,000 injuries and a similar number of people in shelters, while nearly 50,000 remain unaccounted for, according to a website promoted by the political opposition.
A video posted to TikTok by a Venezuelan rescuer showed walls that appeared to be made of a thin concrete layer over Styrofoam or a similar lightweight material. In the footage, the rescuer is seen easily pulling apart collapsed wall sections with his bare hands, expressing dismay at the shoddy construction. "No wonder everything crumbled like cardboard," the rescuer stated.
The earthquake-damaged buildings were reportedly constructed as part of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's "grand housing mission," initiated after natural disasters in 1999. While intended to provide housing, an earthquake risk-reduction specialist who worked for Chavez's government told The Washington Post that construction guidelines were loosely followed. The project was accelerated under Nicolas Maduro, who took power in 2013, with construction rushed to meet political deadlines.
In La Guaira, three out of four apartment buildings constructed under the "grand housing mission" were leveled, destroying at least 960 apartments. While the exact location of the Styrofoam wall discovery is unconfirmed, it highlights concerns about the construction methods used in the housing program.
The U.S. Geological Survey had estimated that more than 10,000 deaths were possible from the quakes, which would rank among the deadliest in Latin America in the past century.
International assistance has begun to arrive, with over 1,600 foreign rescue workers joining families and volunteers who had been searching for survivors and bodies. However, travel into the country has been severely affected by damage to Simon Bolivar International Airport, the main airport serving Caracas.
Despite the challenges, rescuers have been working against time, with a limited window for saving lives. Sebastian Eugster, leader of a Swiss rescue team, noted on Saturday that the probability of saving people alive decreases significantly after roughly 72 hours.
Meanwhile, the disaster has fueled public anger towards the government. During a visit to a devastated Caracas neighborhood, residents expressed their frustration, shouting at officials about the lack of government response. "The government isn't doing anything for the people," and "Get out! Get out!" were among the shouts directed at interim president Delcy Rodriguez.
The European Union has mobilized 5 million euros ($5.7 million) in emergency assistance, and the U.S. is expected to announce a significant funding package in addition to previous commitments.
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