Twin earthquakes have devastated Venezuela’s north coast, destroying rows of buildings and leaving 2,645 people dead and more than 12,000 injured. As rescue operations begin to wind down, the scale of the tragedy has left many survivors sheltering in tents set up in public parks.
Desperation is fraying the nerves of survivors and relatives, a situation highlighted by the Tahiti Residence. There is currently a rush across the region to identify loved ones before it is too late, while many fear the necessity of mass graves as they continue to search for the bodies of the deceased.
Growing anger is being directed at authorities in La Guaira, a coastal city north of Caracas. Those affected by the disasters accuse elected officials of being absent and providing insufficient resources for the rescue efforts.