Families in quake-hit La Guaira State, Venezuela, are picking through what is left of their homes, desperate to reclaim a sense of normalcy after the disaster upended their lives.
The twin quakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck central Venezuela less than a minute apart on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Saturday that the death toll from the quakes had risen to 1,430, with 3,238 people injured and 3,142 families affected by the disaster.
Collapsed walls, cracked buildings, and scattered bricks mark nearly every corner of La Guaira, the region worst-hit by the disaster.
Homes built decades ago now lean precariously or have split apart entirely, leaving thousands with nowhere to sleep.
Many residents, like Pedro, a 60-year-old homeowner, have been forced into temporary shelters after watching their walls crumble and their possessions vanish beneath the debris.
"My house was quite severely damaged in the earthquake. The whole building is no longer fit to live in. The biggest problem is that the walls have all collapsed. Look, this part is about to cave in. The walls are all cracked. Everything has been destroyed," he said, showing the damage to a reporter.
Pedro said he hopes the government will visit soon to conduct an assessment, repair the house, and allow him to return to a normal life.
The United Nations Development Programme estimates the quake caused 6.7 billion U.S. dollars in direct economic losses, with Caracas, La Guaira, and Carabobo states bearing the brunt.
Earthquake destruction leaves residents longing for normalcy
