One hundred days after the double earthquake of June 24, residents of La Guaira gathered this Thursday in Playa Grande, Urimare parish, and Caribe, Caraballeda parish, to participate in a vigil in homage to the victims and offer a prayer for those who died during the emergency.
"Beam of Light" was the name of the activity that brought together survivors, rescuers, volunteers and residents of the affected communities, who lit candles as a symbol of memory and hope in the face of the new stages of recovery that the state is going through.
Julia Mariano, one of the organizers of the event, explained that the vigil was conceived as a space to honor those who lost their lives and, at the same time, to support those who continue to face the consequences of the emergency.
"It is a vigil in homage to those who are no longer with us, especially to those of us who remain and also need this tribute in some way," he expressed.
Mariano pointed out that the activity sought to represent a closing moment for the first stage of emergency response, without this meaning the end of support efforts.
“This doesn’t mean the work is going to end, but other phases are coming,” he said.
The event took place simultaneously on the land next to Farmatodo Caribe and at Farmatodo Playa Grande, with an expected attendance of over 2.000 people between both locations.
Participants received candles that were lit at nightfall, while illuminations were made towards the sky as part of the tribute.
Rescuers continue operations
While the vigil was underway, members of the rescue teams who participated from the first hours after the earthquakes stressed that the efforts to locate victims have not yet concluded.
Taylor Villarreal, a drone rescue specialist, noted that teams are maintaining scanning operations on affected structures, even during the day, thanks to advances in image processing and detection using drones.
“We have already managed to isolate the heat source through the studies and we can perform operations during the day,” he explained.
Villarreal indicated that they are currently working on structures at Residencias Caribe and on several buildings in Playa Grande, including Jurel, Oasis Beach and Trío Café.
He specified that operations continue as long as the teams maintain detections that allow progress in locating people.
During the 100 days of emergency, the most notable cases handled were the location and extraction of the child Lucas, as well as the operations carried out in Oasis and in the OP26 and OP27 urban developments.
The specialist explained that one of the main lessons learned during this period has been the constant development of the technology used for rescue operations.
Each scan and operation provides information that is subsequently incorporated into the artificial intelligence system used to improve the efficiency of searches.
Villarreal noted that the experience developed in La Guaira could later be used in similar emergency response operations in other countries, although he clarified that for now the priority remains completing the work in the state.
“Once peace and tranquility are achieved for all the people here in the town of La Guaira, I believe it is possible to carry out that test or that collaboration with countries that present similar types of catastrophe,” he stated.
Rescuers: “We will continue to be here”
Cristóbal Corro, a rescuer who participated in the efforts following the earthquake, recalled the complexity of the first days, marked by the search for survivors and the recovery of victims.
He recounted that during the operations he had to face particularly difficult situations, including the inability to intervene to save people who had already died.
“I see a person die, but I can’t stay there, because there are other people who need me,” he said.
Corro explained that, despite the impact of the scenes encountered during the rescue efforts, the teams had to continue moving to other locations where there were still people who required attention.
“I’m moving forward, for anyone who needs us,” he stated.
Survivors still face the aftermath
For those who survived the earthquake, the 100 days also represent a period marked by emotional aftereffects and memories of the emergency.
Natalie Pérez, a survivor of the Hugo Chávez housing project, recounted that she remained trapped for nine hours under the rubble of her home, while her brother died beside her.
“These 100 days are very intense because one is still in shock,” said Pérez, who noted that situations such as the demolition or implosion of structures can reactivate memories of that June 24th.
The survivor also described how frustrating it was to be trapped at the time of the earthquake and not be able to do more to help those around her.
Pérez, who has lived his entire life in La Guaira, stated that he currently needs to temporarily leave the state to recover from what happened.
