Venezuela is trying to heal the wounds of two consecutive earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 that struck on June 24. Andreina Velasquez, who lives on the sixth floor of an apartment building in the coastal town of Catia la Mar in La Guaira state, north of the capital Caracas, survived because she was not home during the earthquake.
Velasquez said she had gone out to get a key made a few hours before the earthquake and felt the first tremor on the beach. The concrete floors of her apartment building had collapsed on top of each other "like a house of cards." Saying that one of her neighbors was a quiet retired man and the other was a woman who had recently moved in with her daughter, Velasquez said they were happy with their sea views but were caught in the earthquake.
According to data from the Venezuelan National Assembly, at least 2,295 people died and more than 11,000 were injured in the double earthquake. The United Nations (UN) has warned that the death toll could reach 10,000. While hospitals in the region are operating far above their capacity, federal government aid has been delayed in reaching the worst-affected areas.
It was reported that federal aid teams were able to reach Catia la Mar three days after the earthquake, on Sunday, while some areas of La Guaira have still not received any aid.
"The state was not the first responder, but the last"
Carolina Jimenez, President of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), in an assessment to Al Jazeera, drew attention to the absence of the state during the crisis. Jimenez said, "In another country, the state would be the first responder. In Venezuela, the state was the last responder."
Jimenez emphasized that relief and rescue efforts are being largely carried out by citizens, civil society organizations and volunteers.
Masks and courage: Volunteers on the ground
Velasquez, struggling with the pain of losing her loved ones, started helping by handing out masks to passersby against the dust and odor rising from the rubble. "I am here every day. Some people came to help, but they don't have helmets, gloves, masks. That's why I help," she said.
Despite insufficient equipment, local residents continue rubble removal and first aid efforts for the injured. While authorities say anger is growing due to the slow functioning of the state apparatus, the efforts of volunteers remain the only hope for survivors.
