Venezuela earthquake survivors wait for heavy equipment as rescue efforts stall

Residents across northern La Guaira state, Caracas and surrounding areas remain without heavy machinery needed to recover bodies from collapsed buildings six days after the June 24 earthquakes. Angelica Mundrain has waited outside the remains of her 11-story apartment building for equipment to remove concrete slabs trapping her son, niece and nephew.

Other survivors in the region report the same delay.

Government response limited to traffic control In the first 72 hours after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes, police, intelligence agents and armed forces personnel directed traffic at intersections. Ambulances remained stuck in long traffic jams while hospitals operated with limited supplies and staff.

Civilians and foreign rescue teams with thermal cameras, sound detectors and trained dogs performed most searches. A week later, residents noted that personnel in uniform stood watching while state workers took photographs.

Equipment and connections affect recovery priority Wealth and government ties influenced which sites received cranes and excavators. One collapsed building received police and military school students after officials determined a captain and major general lived there.

A telescopic crane remained parked at that location for several hours. Mundrain stated that buildings housing people in authority received organized response teams. She added that her building lacked such connections. Residents blocked an excavator from leaving one public housing site and removed its operator from the cab when the machine attempted to depart.

The government reported 1,943 deaths and more than 10,500 injuries. Thousands remain listed as missing. Survival chances decrease with each passing hour beyond the initial 48 to 72 hours after a disaster.