Portuguese fatalities in Venezuela quakes at 51, as ‘golden window’ closes

The number of Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent who have died as a result of the earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 51, according to a new update released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs late Saturday.

The ministry also reports that 83 Portuguese nationals or people of Portuguese descent are still uncontactable/ missing.

According to the latest figures, of the 51 fatalities, 41 are people of Portuguese descent, six are Portuguese nationals, and one holds Portuguese nationality through marriage. The status of the final four is unknown, as the death tally was subsequently updated.

The previous update, released at around 5pm, reported 41 Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent – including six children.

This far, the two major quakes recorded last Wednesday evening have caused at least 1,430 deaths and 3,328 injuries, according to official figures.

But, according to the United Nations, more than 50,000 people are still missing.

Several countries, including Portugal and other European Union member states, have sent search-and-rescue teams to Venezuela.

The operations base for the Portuguese response mission is being set up in Catia La Mar, La Guaira – an area with a large concentration of Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent, and one that suffered arguably the worst damage.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck 200 kilometres from Caracas, less than a minute apart, and were followed by more than 20 aftershocks, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Dozens of buildings have collapsed, many others have been severely damaged, both in the capital, Caracas, and the general La Guaira region.

The so-called ‘golden window’ for rescuers to expect to be able to recover survivors from under the rubble, has closed (this tends to have a timeframe of 72-hours). But it is not unknown to be able to recover people after much longer, thus every rescuer on the ground in Venezuela right now is working with this in mind.

Source: LUSA

Natasha Donn

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.