Cuba faces second national blackout in a week

At least 4,118 people lost their lives after the two powerful earthquakes that shook Venezuela on June 24, local authorities reported on Friday. Most of the deaths occurred in the coastal state of La Guaira, the most affected area, located about 20 kilometers north of Caracas.

The number of injured has remained at 16,740 for four days, according to the report released by the government of the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, on her social networks.

Material damage and victims

The number of victims continues to rise as debris removal efforts continue. So far, 856 buildings have been damaged, of which 190 have completely collapsed. More than 1,600 other types of structures—such as bridges and roads—have different levels of damage.

The government has estimated that the earthquakes left about 18,000 people homeless.

Seismic context

The earthquakes, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, occurred 39 seconds apart along Venezuela’s northern coastal mountain range, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Both earthquakes are among the strongest recorded in the South American country in more than a century.

The health emergency worsens

Two weeks after the earthquakes that shook northern Venezuela, the humanitarian crisis intensifies. Thousands of victims go to mobile clinics and community kitchens in search of medical care and food. The UN appealed to raise $300 million and assist 1.3 million people.

The state of La Guaira, the most affected, concentrates the efforts of non-governmental organizations that now operate freely, in contrast to previous years of official restrictions. UN humanitarian aid director Tom Fletcher visited the area and warned of a rise in chronic and acute illnesses among survivors.

“They’re not just coming in with fractures anymore; they’re coming in with these other longer-term health needs,” Fletcher told The Associated Press.

Doctors in Catia La Mar report an increase in skin conditions and diarrheal diseases. There is also a lack of medications for diabetes and hypertension. Overcrowding and poor water and sanitation conditions aggravate the situation.

Irma Echarri, 67, went to a mobile unit hoping to restock her eye drops and painkillers. He was also looking for relief for a nose pain that appeared after the earthquakes of June 24.

“It hurts quite a bit,” he noted while waiting his turn.

The earthquakes left 3,889 dead, 190 buildings collapsed and 856 structures damaged, according to authorities. Some 18,000 people lost their homes and live in schools, sidewalks and parks.

Zulbey Reyes, 41, lost her job as a nanny and her house. He went to a clinic run by the Paluz organization, in alliance with the International Rescue Committee, for chest pain. The diagnosis revealed a nerve inflamed by the scream on the day of the earthquake.

The Pan American Health Organization reported that 50% of health professionals in La Guaira were directly affected: some died, others disappeared or suffered family crises.

According to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, damage to homes and infrastructure amounts to about $37 billion. So far, the United States has provided most of the aid. The response contrasts with the previous persecution of NGOs under the government of Nicolás Maduro.

Fletcher concluded: “When you have a crisis of this magnitude, people put politics aside and can focus on saving as many lives as possible.”

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo warned this Thursday that the Ebola outbreak could have reached new regions. Suspected cases were detected in the provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uele. The death toll rises to 600, while confirmed infections total 1,759.

Measures and current situation

The Ministry of Health reported two possible cases in the city of Kisangani, Tshopo province. One is linked to the Nia-Nia area, in Ituri, where the outbreak began. The other has no apparent connection with previous outbreaks, so it is already being investigated.

The government declared a health emergency on May 15, after the virus circulated for several weeks without being detected. The outbreak corresponds to the Bundibugyo variant, a rare strain of Ebola for which there are still no vaccines or approved treatments.

Given the seriousness of the situation, clinical trials began last week to evaluate possible treatments. It is hoped to find an effective alternative that contains the spread of the virus and reduces mortality.