Port of La Guaira, Venezuela, Turns Into Open-Air Morgue After Earthquakes
Key takeaways
- When the report visited the site, it was estimated that at least 200 bodies were there.
- Outside, dozens of relatives wait in rows of chairs to identify their loved ones.
- Teams use lime bags to slow decomposition and reduce the smell.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Bodies found in the rubble of the coastal municipality are taken to Bolipuerto (Venezuelan state-owned ports used for commercial purposes), where they remain covered with black bags under temperatures above 30°C, in different stages of decomposition. When the report visited the site, it was estimated that at least 200 bodies were there.
Outside, dozens of relatives wait in rows of chairs to identify their loved ones. The latest official figure counts 1,719 deaths, a number expected to be higher — the UN said it is purchasing 10,000 body bags in the country.
Teams use lime bags to slow decomposition and reduce the smell. Many residents wear masks to lessen the smell of death, which grows stronger each day. On the streets, the smell of excrement is also present, a result of the lack of infrastructure for more than 15,000 displaced people. A rescuer sent from another state reported that on Sunday (28), a father and a 7-year-old boy were pulled alive from the rubble.