Venezuela: at least 25 dead and 52 missing due to landslides after torrential rains in the center of the country

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• BBC News World

9 October 2022

Updated 4 hours

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image source, EPA

At least 25 people died and 52 are still missing following heavy rains occurred in the town of Las Tejerías, in central Venezuela.

The Venezuelan executive vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, reported this Sunday in a message on state television that the deceased were 22.

Later, the vice president of the Citizen Security area, Remigio Ceballos, said that following eight o’clock at night the death toll was 25, while 52 people were still missing.

Saturday’s heavy rains caused it to increase the flow of five streams or small rivers in the area of Las you would weavein Aragua state, regarding 67 kilometers southwest of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

image source, Archyde.com

image source, Archyde.com

The overflow of the rivers dragged houses and flooded the streets of the town, destroying everything that the water found in its path.

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, published photos of the disaster on Twitter and decreed in the communities that make up Las Tejerías, a disaster zone and natural catastrophe, in addition to a three-day national mourning.

“A Big Landslide”

According to Rodríguez, “there was a big landslide” that caused the streams to overflow, causing “human losses” and great material damage.

image source, AFP

Caption,

Rescue teams work in Las Tejerías following landslides.

image source, Archyde.com

He said that security agencies, including the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), are deployed at the site of the disaster to continue the search for missing persons.

“We are trying to rescue those we can rescue and from now on we extend our condolences to all the people who have lost a loved one,” he added.

image source, Getty Images

image source, AFP

The official also explained that merchants lost their businesses, as well as farmers who saw their crops affected, for which she reported that the government would provide assistance through public banks.

Carmen Meléndez, a 55-year-old neighbor, told the AFP agency: “The town is lost. Las Tejerías is lost.”

That area has been the most affected in Venezuela by this year’s La Niña weather pattern.

The heavy rainfall in the last two weeks left more than 40 dead in various areas of the country, according to national organizations.

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