At least fifteen people died as a result of torrential rains that hit western Venezuela. More than 35,000 people “were directly affected by the rains” that fell in 11 states of the country and more than 8,000 homes were “destroyed”, declared President Nicolas Maduro in a speech broadcast on public television.
«The situation is dramatic, sad, hopeless. Losing everything is not easy, but it is worse to lose loved ones. It is the tragedy of 2005 that is repeating itself, ”commented Jesus Quintero, a journalist from Merida, where 41 people died in 2005 and another 52 were missing due to floods caused by heavy rains and who now records at least 13 deaths. “We can talk about 11 deaths as a result of torrential rain in the city of Tovar and two children who died in the municipality of Pinto Salina,” said the governor of the state, Ramon Guevara, in a video posted on Twitter. A deputy, Olivia Lozano, released another video showing cars submerged by water.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has decreed a state of emergency in the western state of Mérida due to the heavy rains recorded in the last few hours which have caused the death of 15 people. The newspaper El Universal writes it today. “I signed an emergency decree – said Maduro in a televised intervention – due to the rains in the state of Mérida. I am approving all resources in bolivars, cryptocurrencies and convertible currencies so that action is taken as quickly as possible, in real time ».
Maduro finally indicated that during the tropical rainy season 11 states and 85 municipalities are the most exposed to possible damage to people and infrastructure, including Amazonas, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolívar, Caracas, Delta Amacuro, Mérida, Táchira, Zulia and Monagas.