Residents of the Venezuelan coastal city of La Guaira are continuing to search through collapsed buildings by hand nearly a week after two powerful earthquakes devastated the area, as fuel shortages have left government rescue equipment sitting idle, according to CNN.
CNN reported that an excavator stationed near a pile of rubble remained unused because there was no gasoline to operate it, forcing families and volunteers to rely on shovels, pickaxes and their bare hands to search for survivors.
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The disaster has intensified criticism of the government’s response, with political analyst Carmen Beatriz Fernández saying the crisis has exposed the country’s weakened ability to respond to emergencies.
Authorities also announced the arrest of four officials accused of stealing valuables from the rubble. Venezuela’s Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations Corps said the men were removed from their posts and referred to the judiciary.
The official death toll has climbed to at least 1,943, though the true number is feared to be much higher. The United Nations has reportedly begun procuring 10,000 body bags as rescue and recovery operations continue.
Despite the mounting death toll, many families remain at collapsed buildings, holding onto hope that loved ones may still be found alive.
