Firefighter holding a rescued child covered in a poncho in Las Tejerias, Aragua state, Venezuela, Sunday, October 9, 2022. Photo: Venezuelan Vice President's Office.
This Sunday, October 9, President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro reported through his Twitter account that “Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, the social cabinet, and all security agencies, [are at] maximum deployment for the comprehensive care of the people. They are not alone.” The announcement was made after “the difficult and painful situation caused by heavy rains in Las Tejerías,” in Aragua state.
More than a thousand men and women from the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB), firefighters, civil protection, and police forces were deployed to serve communities in Las Tejerías, after Saturday’s tragedy that was the result of torrential rains affecting Venezuela for several weeks, reported Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos.
More than 120 Municipalities in Venezuela Affected by Heavy Rains
Vice President Rodríguez, who has been in the area since early Saturday morning leading the emergency response, said that, “we are serving the people who were left homeless or whose homes were affected by the landslide.”
Later in the afternoon, Rodríguez tweeted again, providing details about the tragic outcome of the landslide that occurred after several days of heavy rain all over the country. She wrote: “So far we have found 22 dead, and more than 52 are reported missing. We are working on a search and rescue effort.”
#LoDijo || La Vpdta. Ejecutiva, @delcyrodriguezv: Hasta el momento se han hallado 22 personas fallecidas, y más de 52 personas reportadas desaparecidas. Estamos atendiendo un frente de búsqueda.#9Oct pic.twitter.com/rRcIh5cAOD
— Vicepresidencia Vzla (@ViceVenezuela) October 9, 2022
Earlier, the governor of Aragua state, Karina Carpio, highlighted on Twitter that all prevention, security, and defense agencies have been deployed in aid and protection actions in the area.
Emergency and disaster coordination center
Ceballos announced the activation of the Center for Control and Coordination of Emergencies and Disasters to serve the population affected by the overflow of five waterways in the area.
El Sistema Nacional de Riesgos está activado por orden de nuestro CJ @NicolasMaduro, 1200 funcionarios de Bomberos, Protección Civil y Policías, junto a la FANB, atendiendo la emergencia y desastre, causado por fuertes lluvias en las últimas 24 horas, mantenemos despliegue. https://t.co/QH3sl8zQct pic.twitter.com/HoTsSZyw4j
— @FuerzaDinamica Remigio Ceballos Ichaso (@CeballosIchaso1) October 9, 2022
“We are going with a well-defined search plan in all sectors,” Ceballos said, commenting that canines and drones are being used to optimize the search and rescue of local residents that might be still be unaccounted for.
Likewise, he pointed out that three shelters and a collection center were activated to guarantee food, medicine, equipment, and medical attention to all those affected by the tragedy.
Alert Risk Management System
The Risk Management System was activated to attend to and monitor the emergencies that have occurred throughout the national territory, after the heavy rains recorded in recent days.
Tropical Wave No. 41 Still Affecting Several States in Venezuela with Heavy Rains
The information was released by Minister Ceballos, who through his Twitter account stressed that the Risk Management System is “attending to and monitoring emergencies caused by the torrential rains recorded.”
He explained that this Saturday, “a trough formed rapidly in the north of Venezuela, over the Caribbean; further reinforcing the rainy conditions in much of the country.”
Three days of mourning
President Maduro announced three days of mourning for the tragedy in Las Tejerías.
This was reported earlier by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who indicated that so far they have recovered 22 bodies, including those of children, and more than 52 residents of the area are still missing.
Dramatic videos
On Sunday morning, dramatic videos were posted on Twitter showing the strength and consequences of the natural disaster that affected the area in the central north region of Venezuela. We share some of them with you below:
At least 22 people are dead after floods and landslides struck the area of Tejerias in Venezuela#people #floods #landslides #area #Tejerias pic.twitter.com/D1JuCPpsGr
— Shahryar Sultan (@Shahryar_Sultan) October 10, 2022
https://twitter.com/madeleintlSUR/status/1579284575498358784
#ULTIMAHORA terrible situación se vivió anoche en #Tejerias producto de las torrenciales lluvias. Les pido que seamos solidarios con nuestra gente. #Solidaridad pic.twitter.com/CYkTRuzX8a
— 🇻🇪EL FOTÓGRAFO🇻🇪⚾️🦁💯 🇺🇦 (@angelgodoy3) October 9, 2022
My thoughts & prayers are with the people of #Tejerias #Venezuela after floods and rain killed at least 18 people overnight in a city part of #Aragua My condolences to the victims’ families & wishing a speedy recovery to those injured #Solidarity 🇻🇪
pic.twitter.com/lPOZ5f0SeP— Nelson Dordelly Rosales, Ph.D/LL.D (@nelsondordelly) October 9, 2022
1/n 〰️🇻🇪🔗🎦〰️☔️ FLOODING & LANDSLIDES : Devastating image On Sunday, "Las Tejerias", in Aragua #Venezuela #Flood #Tejerias Disasters
pic.twitter.com/77PFn7bnIt— A Deniz Engelhardt (@_AD_CHANEL6) October 9, 2022
Así amanece este domingo, #tejerias de nuestro amado municipio #santosmichelena #venezuela, si nos unimos y sacamos lo mejor de cada uno de nosotros podremos ayudar a familias que los perdieron todo. #solidaridad #Aragua #tejerias #9oct #maracay #santosmichelena #lluvia pic.twitter.com/jONYxPMFWb
— Richard Mardo (@richardmardo) October 9, 2022
22 personas fallecidas, 50 desaparecidas luego del deslave registrado en #Tejerias Venezuela declaran "zona de tragedia" con la naturaleza no hay quien pueda, 3 días de duelo nacional 🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/N7jJije65v
— Jhonniell Colina (@Jhonniell4) October 9, 2022
Orinoco Tribune special by staff
OT/JRE/DD
