The chances of survival for victims trapped under rubble following last week's devastating earthquakes in Venezuela have significantly decreased, according to a representative from the nonprofit Project HOPE. Eight days after back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude quakes struck the nation, killing nearly 2,300 people, an estimated 40,000 remain unaccounted for.
Edward de Burgh, a senior global security officer for Project HOPE, told the Daily Mail that while isolated 'miraculous' rescues of trapped individuals can still occur, the biological reality for those still missing is dire. "The chances of survival for those that are under the rubble has now reduced considerably," de Burgh stated. "Biologically speaking, it's not likely that people can survive much longer, if they are indeed at all alive at the moment."
Search and recovery efforts are a race against time, complicated by the widespread destruction. Buildings have crumbled into piles of rubble, making the task of locating and recovering bodies extremely difficult for relatives, volunteers, and rescue workers. "The destruction in the areas where it's hardest hit, the buildings are literally piles of rubble already, in some cases, and then trying to find the bodies in there to account for them and give them back to their loved ones is a very difficult task," de Burgh added.
As international rescue teams begin to depart and the focus shifts to recovery, the psychological toll on survivors is mounting. "In the first few days everyone has hope, solidarity kicks in and people are desperately trying to find loved ones," de Burgh explained. "That's kind of slowing down now and people are starting to realize that time is not their friend anymore. A lot of the international teams are now leaving, and we're officially sort of moving into the recovery stage."
The recovery phase prioritizes supporting survivors who have lost homes, access to clean water, food, and medication. Humanitarian organizations are assisting overwhelmed local clinics and hospitals, but the risk of disease outbreak is a significant concern due to potential contamination of water systems from collapsed sewage infrastructure. "We don't know this yet, but there is the risk that fresh water is going to be a challenge," de Burgh noted.
Sanitation, hygiene, and housing displaced populations are also immediate priorities. La Guaira, a coastal town once known as a resort, has been heavily impacted, with entire neighborhoods reduced to ruins. The scale of the destruction, where buildings have pancaked and crumbled, suggests the official death toll will continue to rise as more bodies are found. "If you do the simple calculation of the fact that these buildings are so damaged in a lot of cases and there's still a lot of people unaccounted for, the death toll over time will be confirmed higher and that's for sure," de Burgh stated.
Amidst the devastation, rare moments of hope have emerged, such as the rescue of 43-year-old Hernan Gil from the rubble in Playa Grande after a dramatic multi-national operation. IMAGE7 However, for many, the grim reality is the loss of loved ones. Families like that of 10-year-old Dasleidy Herrera and her grandmother Mildred Moreno, found embracing after a week of searching, face the painful task of formally identifying and burying their dead. Carlos Velazquez, who found his son Dennis after days of searching, expressed determination that his son would rest in a proper cemetery.
An estimated 15,000 people have had their homes destroyed, with many now housed in temporary camps set up on locations like the local golf course, while others sleep on the streets. The long-term recovery is expected to be challenging, marked by potential frustration as basic needs are met and reconstruction efforts begin. "In the next few weeks, we've got the concern of public health and then how do we get people back into housing? How do we remove all this destruction so we can build again? And that does take months," de Burgh said.
