Hotel run by Portuguese in Venezuela ‘collapses with countless people inside it’

With many more hours needed for authorities to get a full picture of the death toll and casualties in Venezuela’s two earthquakes, Madeira’s regional governor has already described a hotel owned by Portuguese that collapsed, with countless people still inside it.

Miguel Albuquerque, who is following developments closely due to the number of Madeirans living in Venezuela, is talking about “hundreds of people missing”.

“I think there will be a lot of victims,” he told reporters, as reports coming through this morning indicate the wider toll of dead and injured is steadily climbing.

Regarding the hotel, presumably in Caracas, or on its outskirts, Mr Albuquerque said: “We know a hotel owned by a Madeiran totally collapsed with people inside it. Right now, we have many hundreds of people missing. We don’t have contact with family members. The situation is very complicated. I think there will be countless victims.”

Albuquerque added that what is fundamental is “that we can mobilise help, in the sense of having teams to rescue people from the rubble.”

Teams from various countries, including America and the Netherlands, have already set out for Venezuela to start in recovery and rescue efforts, , while the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, Tom Fletcher, has issued a statement to say that OCHA (the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs) “is coordinating the rapid deployment of Urban Search and Rescue Teams from across the international community through the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group. I am surging a rapid response team to reinforce the OCHA team in country.

“The solidarity and practical offers from the region and beyond are superb. The coming days will require a massive collective effort to support the Government-led response and help communities.

“Even before these earthquakes, nearly 8 million people in Venezuela were in need of humanitarian support. This disaster risks deepening existing vulnerabilities.

“Sustained international support for humanitarian organizations responding on the ground is essential and urgent.”

Source material: LUSA/ foreign press

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.