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While rescue teams search for survivors among the debris left by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday, dozens of people looted businesses on Thursday in La Guaira and Catia La Mar, in a scene that reflects the extreme desperation of a population already battered by years of crisis.
The images shared by EFE showed hundreds of people climbing over collapsed structures and crossing fractured streets to enter supermarkets, pharmacies, and other businesses severely damaged by the earthquakes.
Among the stolen items were food, medicine, beverages, televisions, washing machines, and air conditioning units.
A location of the pharmacy chain Farmatodo in Catia La Mar was one of the most affected: its shelves were completely empty after a massive influx of people.
Gabriel Aldana, an 18-year-old resident of Caraballeda, told EFE how the robbery at the establishment he was in occurred: "Out of nowhere, they started breaking a wall where the snacks (sweets), drinks, and other items were, and I was here charging my phone."
The authorities responded by deploying riot units and police forces along the highway that connects La Guaira with Caracas in an attempt to contain the disturbances.
However, witnesses indicated that the official presence of rescuers was almost nonexistent in the disaster's ground zero, which worsened the residents' despair.
The context surrounding the looting is devastating: more than 250 buildings collapsed just in La Guaira, entire areas were left without electricity, and thousands of people spent the night in the streets without shelter or access to basic services.
The double earthquake on Wednesday —with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, occurring just 39 seconds apart— is the strongest seismic event recorded in Venezuela since 1900, and its shallow depth of only 10 kilometers significantly amplified the destructive impact.
The official toll rises to 188 dead and more than 1,520 wounded, as confirmed by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, with at least 157 missing and 200 people still trapped under rubble.
The acting president Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of constitutional emergency and designated La Guaira as a disaster zone, in addition to announcing a fund of 200 million dollars for addressing the crisis and reconstructing infrastructure, hospitals, and housing.
Maiquetía International Airport remains closed due to structural damage, and at least 30 aftershocks have been recorded since the two main earthquakes.
Amid the chaos, there were also signs of hope: at the Mansión Charaima complex in Caraballeda, three brothers were rescued alive from an 11-story building that had partially collapsed.
The United States Geological Survey issued a Red Alert and estimated a 42% probability that the final number of casualties could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people, a projection that underscores the potential magnitude of the disaster.
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