- Title: Death toll rises to at least 20 in western Venezuela floods
- Date: 27th August 2021
- Summary: MERIDA, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 25, 2021) (REUTERS) RESIDENTIAL AREA DAMAGED BY FLOODS LOCALS IN CLEAN UP EFFORTS DEBRIS, MUD AND DAMAGED FURNITURE IN HOME AFFECTED BY FLOODS DAMAGED VEHICLE AMID FLOOD DAMAGE LOCALS IN CLEAN UP EFFORTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, BLANCA GUTIERREZ, SAYING: "This is something that I have never seen before and the truth is I wouldn't wish it on anyone, it was very strong. You're left psychologically damaged, many people died or were buried. They were retrieved outside of the town because the water took them. A big human loss, many homes lost, people who have lost their homes and belongings." DAMAGED VEHICLES AND DEBRIS DAMAGED HOMES DEBRIS IN RESIDENTIAL AREA VARIOUS OF LOCAL CUTTING METAL AMID DEBRIS FLOOD DAMAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, OSCAR HERNANDEZ, SAYING: "I live...rather I lived practically here, in this house. On Monday (August 23) at night it (house) was taken away suddenly by the rain, the mudslide. There's no way to express how we feel in our hearts, it can't be expressed because it's too soon. In my case I lost three family members." LOCALS IN FLOOD-AFFECTED AREA DAMAGE TO INTERIOR OF HOME LOCALS IN FLOOD-AFFECTED AREA LOCALS REPAIRING ROOF LOCALS NEAR DAMAGED HOME (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, ALFREDO VILLASMIL, SAYING: "The only thing that could be done was to run to the back, which is a little higher, and to take cover there until it passed. When it all happened I couldn't visualise it because I was in the back protecting my life. There was also no electricity, it had gone out. And when it passed, when the situation calmed down I went out and I saw the disaster in my house, with all my belongings lost." LOCALS IN FLOOD DAMAGED AREA DEBRIS OUTSIDE HOME LOCALS WALKING AMONG DEBRIS GENERAL VIEW OF DEBRIS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, YNALVIS PEREZ, SAYING: "We want help, we really need help of all kind, security (too). Friends of criminals are taking the little that we have. We need drinking water, we need food. We need (help) to come and to help us because it can't stay this way." LOCAL AMONG DEBRIS CHILD CLIMBING DEBRIS GENERAL VIEW OF LOCALS IN FLOOD-DAMAGED STREET
- Embargoed: 10th September 2021 03:37
- Keywords: Merida Venezuela floods mudslides rain
- Location: MERIDA, VENEZUELA
- City: MERIDA, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Floods,South America / Central America,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001ES21LC7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: At least 20 people have died in the western Venezuelan state of Merida following intense rains that caused mudslides and rivers to overflow.
On state TV on Wednesday (August 25) a ruling Socialist Party official in Merida announced the death toll had risen and said authorities were working to restore telephone service in some areas.
State governor Ramon Guevara said earlier that more than 1,200 houses had been destroyed and 17 people remained missing as rescue workers search the wreckage.
Several towns in the affected area including Tovar, Bailadores, Zea and Santa Cruz de Mora are without electricity as floodwaters damaged transformers, Guevara said.
Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos told state TV on Wednesday that at least 54,543 people in 87 municipalities had been affected in addition to damaged roads and bridges.
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