Caritas Venezuela president says priority is the injured and search for survivors

“We ask everyone to pray for this country, for all those who are suffering, and also for those engaged in the rescue efforts.”

Speaking to Vatican News, Archbishop José Luis Azuaje Ayala, President of Caritas Venezuela, urged the international community not to lose sight of the consequences of last Wednesday's devastating earthquakes. He stressed above all the need to intensify the search for those who may still be trapped beneath the rubble.

The Archbishop also called for an immediate assessment of buildings and infrastructure that remain at risk of collapse due to the numerous and powerful aftershocks. He appealed for “a coordinated effort between government agencies and civil society to help minimize the consequences of this tragedy.

Nearly three days after the twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck central and northeastern Venezuela, official figures report at least 920 deaths, more than 3,000 people injured, and over 50,000 still missing. According to several non-governmental organizations specializing in emergency response, those numbers could rise significantly.

The Venezuelan government has declared a national state of emergency in the Capital District and the states of La Guaira, Falcón, Carabobo, Yaracuy, Aragua, Miranda, Trujillo, and Lara. The most severe devastation, however, has been reported in La Guaira, just a few kilometers from the capital and home to the country's main port and international airport.