Residents in Venezuela have accused the government of failing to respond quickly after twin earthquakes devastated parts of the country’s northern coast, leaving at least 1,700 people dead.
In La Guaira, one of the worst-hit areas, desperate families say rescue operations started too late and have not reached many collapsed buildings. Survivors claim volunteers and local residents carried out the first rescue efforts using their bare hands before emergency teams arrived.
Miguel Oscar Nunez, whose son remains trapped beneath a collapsed 12-storey building, said authorities must do more to save those still buried under the rubble. Others, including Kevin Montilla and Deilisbeth Herreira, also criticised what they described as a slow and ineffective government response while searching for missing family members.
Although rescue teams from Venezuela, Colombia and other countries are now working at several sites, residents say valuable time was lost during the critical first days after the disaster. Some neighbourhoods reportedly have yet to receive any official search teams.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy RodrÃguez has described the disaster as the country’s worst natural catastrophe. However, frustration continues to grow as families fear many victims remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Rescue operations continue, but many Venezuelans are demanding faster action and greater government support as hopes of finding more survivors fade.
