An EU civil protection expert on the ground in Venezuela has warned that the country is facing a major health crisis in the wake of last week's devastating twin earthquakes, as international rescue operations shift focus from search and rescue to medical assistance.
João Almeida da Silva, one of 11 experts deployed by the EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), told Euronews that the clock is ticking for survivors still trapped under rubble, but the nature of support is evolving rapidly. Speaking from an operations base at La Guaira Stadium, one of the hardest-hit areas, da Silva said: "What we see is that there's going to be a huge need to support Venezuela."
Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck just minutes apart on Wednesday last week, marking one of the worst disasters in the South American nation's history. The death toll surged to 2,300 on Thursday 2 July, with direct economic losses estimated at $6.7 billion (around €5.9 billion). The European Union has pledged €5 million in immediate aid to affected communities.
Health Crisis Looms as Rescue Efforts Continue
Da Silva emphasized that the situation is rapidly deteriorating. "I think the figures speak for themselves in terms of the people, especially the disappeared or missing people. What we see is that there is a massive health crisis looming that will unfold in the coming days or weeks," he said, adding that extreme heat and humidity are complicating efforts. "We suspect now that health will be the critical issue for the next weeks to come."
Rescue teams continue to dig for survivors, but time is running out. "We are progressing, but unfortunately, the clock is ticking when it comes to the retrieval of possible survivors," da Silva said. He noted that a Portuguese team had been working on a possible retrieval for nearly two days but had to stop due to structural problems in the building. Despite the challenges, hope remains, sparked in part by the rescue of 3-year-old Klieber Morán, who was pulled alive from the rubble by a Jordanian team on Tuesday after being trapped for six days.
"Every rescued person's story is a miracle story. Unfortunately, the figures are not what we would like to see, but of course, I think all the people we have managed to save have an impact on you," da Silva said.
The Jordanian team is one of over 45 international teams deployed to the worst-affected areas, with Europe contributing through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. "The EU responded immediately through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism," da Silva said. "The rescue teams were present almost from day one to coordinate, to facilitate and to work with local authorities to speed up access to the terrain as much as possible."
Frustration Over State Response
Reports from Venezuela indicate deep frustration among local citizens over the lack of assistance from the army and the state, with some criticizing what they call a slow, inadequate response. Video footage has shown private citizens and volunteers digging through rubble with their bare hands. Asked about this, da Silva acknowledged the difficulties for aid organizations to enter the country.
"We all know the political situation here in Venezuela, but this is the situation we are in. It's with the army that we have to work, they are the ones in control of the airport, of the port, so of our strategic points in terms of logistics to bring assistance in," he said. The aid operations expert noted he could not comment on the state's presence or work but added that the army is facilitating as much as possible. "Of course, they were not ready for an event of this magnitude," he said, though he noted that the situation has improved in recent days.
For more on the ongoing rescue efforts, see our coverage of a Venezuelan security guard rescued after eight days under rubble. The broader humanitarian impact is also detailed in our report on the rising death toll and worsening medical crisis.
