Venezuela advances in recovery after earthquakes: 28% of debris removed
Two months after the devastating earthquakes that shook northern Venezuela on June 24, the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, reported on the progress of cleanup and reconstruction efforts. According to official data, 28% of the debris has been removed, which is equivalent to 600,790 tons of material cleared under the program called “Dignified and Safe Clearing”.
Rodríguez highlighted that these operations are carried out following strict environmental protection protocols and in close collaboration with local teams, international specialists, and United Nations representatives. However, authorities estimate that the total cleanup of the area could take up to a year, a considerable challenge while thousands of citizens remain in temporary shelters.
Today we are in another stage, it is about rehabilitating the living conditions of families and building back better.
Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of Venezuela
Human impact and housing solutions
The magnitude of the tragedy, which left a toll of at least 6,509 dead, forced more than 25,000 Venezuelans to move to comprehensive camps. In response to the housing crisis, the Government has reported the delivery of 335 new homes and the recovery of 1,001 houses, benefiting more than 4,600 people in total. The government’s commitment is to reach the delivery of 4,000 new residences before the end of the year.
Infrastructure and international cooperation
In the area of infrastructure and basic services, the president acknowledged that the earthquake intensified pre-existing needs in areas such as electricity, water, health, and roads. To address the electricity crisis, international agreements have been signed aimed at strengthening the country’s thermoelectric capacity.
- Technical support: The United States recently contributed 20 teleoperated heavy machines to speed up debris removal in hard-to-reach areas.
- Economic outlook: The World Bank has valued direct physical damages at 19.6 billion dollars, warning about the long-term impact of a slow reconstruction on the national economy.
Although the landscape remains complex, the Venezuelan government claims to have a clear roadmap to progressively improve the living conditions of those affected, admitting that, while critical problems persist, the recovery process is a national priority.
