Portugal declares national day of mourning for Venezuela earthquake victims

Portugal will observe a national day of mourning on Sunday in memory of the victims of the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced this Wednesday (July 1).

The measure, agreed by the government in consultation with the President of the Republic, is intended to honour all those who lost their lives, with particular recognition for the Portuguese citizens and people of Portuguese descent among the victims.

“The government, in consultation with the country’s president, has decided to designate next Sunday as a day of national mourning for the victims of the earthquakes that struck Venezuela and, in particular, for the Portuguese citizens and people of Portuguese descent who lost their lives, and for all those who have suffered as a result of these tragedies,” Montenegro said.

Speaking on the sidelines of an event in Lisbon, the prime minister said Portuguese authorities continue to monitor the situation closely through rescue teams on the ground and ongoing contact with the Venezuelan authorities.

However, he cautioned that it is still too early to determine the full scale of the disaster.

“We are not currently in a position to predict what the final tally of victims will be, particularly the fatalities resulting from this tragedy,” he said, adding that the assessment of the damage and loss of life is far from complete.

According to the latest official figures, the earthquakes have claimed at least 1,943 lives and injured 10,571 people.

Among the dead are at least 71 Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent, while another 71 remain missing or cannot yet be contacted.

Portugal is among several countries that have deployed search and rescue teams to Venezuela. The Portuguese operation is based in Catia la Mar, in the state of La Guaira, home to one of the country’s largest Portuguese communities.

The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck on June 24, less than a minute apart, around 200 kilometres from Caracas. Hundreds of aftershocks have followed, with widespread destruction reported in the capital and the coastal region of La Guaira.

Source: LUSA

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.