Live updates: Over 900 dead in Venezuela earthquakes as rescuers race to find victims - CNN
Fuente: CNN
A series of devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela this week, killing at least 920 people and injuring more than 3,000 others, according to the country's top lawmaker. Rescue teams are urgently working to reach survivors trapped beneath the rubble in Caracas, La Guaira, and surrounding regions. The so-called 'golden window' — the critical period during which survivors are most likely to be found alive — is rapidly closing, intensifying pressure on emergency responders.
Simon Medina, armed with only gloves, a shovel, and a pickaxe, dug desperately through debris in La Guaira searching for his mother and brother, who were inside an apartment building when the twin earthquakes struck on Wednesday. Medina had been in Naiguata, roughly 14 miles away, when the tremors hit. Upon arriving at the disaster site, he described the experience as deeply frightening, saying he had no idea the shaking had been so severe until he saw the destruction firsthand.
The disaster has compounded Venezuela's already severe political and financial crisis. Residents are calling for civilian volunteers to assist with debris removal, arguing that the government's emergency response has been woefully insufficient. Medical professionals have also raised serious concerns, noting that chronic underfunding left the healthcare system completely unprepared to handle the sudden surge in patients requiring urgent treatment following the earthquakes.
In a significant display of international cooperation, the United States military has deployed personnel to Venezuela to assist with rescue operations. US Southern Command, which oversees military activities across Latin America and the Caribbean, met with Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez and confirmed it is 'rapidly surging critical capabilities' to support relief efforts. This collaboration marks a remarkable diplomatic shift, given that US special forces had seized then-President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas just six months ago.
Displaced families face desperate conditions, with many having nowhere to shelter in Caracas and La Guaira. One displaced mother, Luz Marina Marcano, described the terrifying moment her daughters begged her to flee their collapsing home. She hesitated to leave, fearing criminals would break in. A wave of international aid, including machinery, supplies, and relief workers, is now heading toward the hardest-hit areas as the global community mobilizes to support Venezuela's recovery efforts.
Traducción al japonés
今週ベネズエラを連続地震が襲い、国会議長によると少なくとも920人が死亡、3,000人以上が負傷した。カラカス、ラグアイラおよび周辺地域では、救助隊が瓦礫の下に閉じ込められた生存者の救出に全力を挙げている。生存者発見の可能性が高い「ゴールデンタイム」が急速に失われつつあり、救助活動への圧力は一層高まっている。
シモン・メディナさんは手袋、シャベル、つるはし一本だけを持ち、水曜日の双子地震発生時に集合住宅にいたとされる母親と兄弟を探してラグアイラの瓦礫を必死に掘り続けた。約23キロ離れたナイグアタにいた彼は現地に駆けつけ、惨状を目にして初めて揺れがいかに激しかったかを実感したと語った。
今回の災害は、ベネズエラがすでに抱えていた深刻な政治・財政危機をさらに悪化させた。政府の緊急対応が不十分だとして、市民からは瓦礫撤去への自主的なボランティア参加を求める声が上がっている。医療関係者も長年の資金不足で医療制度が地震後の患者急増に対応できる状態になかったと深刻な懸念を表明した。
国際協力の顕著な例として、米軍がベネズエラに人員を派遣し救助活動を支援している。中南米・カリブ海地域を管轄する米南方軍はベネズエラの代行大統領デルシー・ロドリゲス氏と会談し、救援活動への「能力の迅速な増強」を確認した。わずか半年前に米特殊部隊がマドゥロ前大統領を拘束したことを考えると、この連携は劇的な外交的転換を示している。
カラカスとラグアイラでは多くの避難家族が行き場を失い、厳しい状況に置かれている。被災した母親ルス・マリナ・マルカノさんは、娘たちに「ここで死にたくない」と懇願され崩壊しかけた自宅から逃げた恐怖の瞬間を語った。機械、物資、国際救援要員を乗せた支援の波がベネズエラの被災地へ向かっており、国際社会が復興に向けて結集している。
Vocabulario clave
- death tollnoun
The total number of people who have died as a result of a particular disaster, accident, or conflict.
和訳: 死者数
The death toll from the typhoon continued to rise as rescue teams reached more remote villages.
- mired inphrase
Deeply involved in or stuck in a difficult or unpleasant situation with no easy way out.
和訳: 〜に深く陥っている
The company was mired in legal disputes that prevented it from moving forward with expansion plans.
- surgenoun
A sudden and significant increase in something, such as demand, numbers, or intensity.
和訳: 急増、急激な上昇
Hospitals reported a surge in emergency cases following the industrial accident near the city center.
- deployverb
To send military personnel, equipment, or resources to a specific location for a particular purpose.
和訳: 展開する、配備する
The government decided to deploy additional troops to the flood-affected region to assist with evacuation.














