Death toll tops 2,000, one week after Venezuela earthquakes

The death toll in Venezuela has surpassed 2,000, one week after massive earthquakes struck the country.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Wednesday that the number of deaths had reached 2,295. Rescue operations have been underway since two earthquakes with magnitudes over 7 occurred on June 24.

The Venezuelan government announced that a 7-day period of mourning would start on Wednesday. The announcement comes as rescuers from Venezuela and other nations continue to search for those trapped under collapsed buildings.

According to Venezuela’s ministry of communication and information, among those rescued is a 3-year-old boy. The boy was reportedly pulled out alive by Jordanian rescue workers. He was trapped under rubble in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas, for six days. The ministry posted a video of the boy on social media and described his rescue as a miracle.

The video shows the boy’s hand slightly moving. He was successfully freed from the wreckage to applause and shouts of joy from those watching. The boy seemed exhausted and drained, but he looked at the rescuers with his eyes wide open.The ministry said that he was taken to a hospital by ambulance for medical treatment.

The Spanish newspaper El Pais reports that large crowds have been gathering to look for loved ones at the port of La Guaira, where hundreds of bodies are waiting to be identified.

A UN agency says that, one week after the disaster, many survivors are facing growing shortages of food and water. Providing assistance to those affected, such as securing food supplies and preparing shelters, remains a key challenge.