Venezuelans search through rubble as earthquake death toll rises - BERITAJA

Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said precocious Thursday that about 200 group remained trapped beneath collapsed buildings, while about 250 structures had been damaged aliases destroyed.

Nelson Ospedales felt the earthquakes from his location successful Caracas’ Altamira neighborhood.

“Material possessions could beryllium recovered, but astatine this moment, the competent authorities — specified arsenic firefighters and civilian defense — person been wholly overwhelmed. They request much personnel,” Ospedales told Noticias Telemundo successful Spanish. “Hospitals person go severely congested.”

Ospedales location partially collapsed successful the quakes and he’s now staying pinch a relative, he said.

Hospitals had reached capacity by Thursday evening arsenic the country’s wellness strategy struggled to header pinch the influx of patients, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said connected authorities television.

President Delcy Rodríguez declared a authorities of emergency pursuing the earthquakes, ordering the closure of Caracas’ world airport, suspending metro and obstruction services successful affected areas and shutting schools for the remainder of the week.

Overnight, thousands of group who mislaid their homes slept outdoors, sheltering successful tents aliases sleeping connected benches and makeshift beds aft being displaced by the disaster.

As rescue efforts unfolded, President Rodríguez visited the coastal municipality of Macuto successful La Guaira state, 1 of the areas hardest deed by the earthquakes. The state, which borders Caracas and is location to the capital’s main world airport, saw about 70,000 families affected, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said.