After the earthquake in Venezuela, rescuers and relatives are removing debris from the Mariola and Maribel Residences in La Guaira, hoping to find survivors or bodies. Of the two towers, only one is still standing, but it is leaning and could collapse at any moment. The other seems to have been swallowed by the earth. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
Rescuers climb the rubble, kneel and bow their heads. "Please, let us listen. Don't make noise! It seems like there's someone here," one calls out. The message "Shhh… silence, please" is repeated in a chain.
People hold their breath, hoping. On Saturday, 33 people were found alive, but optimism is dwindling with each passing hour. "Say something so we can hear you, please," someone shouts desperately. For 10 minutes, time seems to stand still. No sound comes from the rubble, and professionals declare a false alarm.
Ronnie Navarro traveled 350 km from Puerto La Cruz to help pull his uncle out. "There are bodies there, trapped. The government doesn't want to help," he says. "The authorities say nothing. They pass by, take a quick look, and leave."
Zuly Marín, a 66-year-old biologist, has lived in the complex for over a decade. She was out shopping before the earthquake and decided to visit her father, which saved her life. "I lost my niece and my brother-in-law. There has been a delay in the rescue process. If the authorities had arrived sooner, many people would have been saved," she says.
Belkys Valecillo says her brother, nephew, and sister-in-law are on the first floor of that tower, buried. "Heavy machinery should only be used once search and rescue efforts have been called off. It's only been four days," she says.
As night falls, energy returns. On the pile of rubble where the Caribe complex once stood, people are moving quickly. Others run through the street asking for silence. A group of nurses approach. Everyone wants to help.