At least 20 people have been killed in torrential rains in the western Venezuelan state of Merida, according to the local newspaper Nacional, citing state governor Ramon Guevara.
“We did not think the tragedy would be so large,” Governor Guevara said. According to him, two minors were among the victims. 17 people are missing.
?| #Floods kill 13 in Venezuelan state of #Merida
▪️Floods killed at least thirteen people in western #Venezuela following a heavy #rainfall that triggered mudslides and caused rivers to overflow.
▪️It is an agricultural area that the other parts of Venezuela rely on. pic.twitter.com/McOsb368uu— EHA News (@eha_news) August 25, 2021
Guevara said the disaster destroyed dozens of buildings and severely damaged more than 1,200 homes.
There are problems with electricity supply and mobile communication in the region, TASS adds.
The floods affected other regions of Venezuela, including the capital.
Decreté Emergencia por 90 días en Apure, Bolívar, Yaracuy, Zulia y Mérida, estados afectados por las fuertes precipitaciones ocurridas en el territorio nacional. Facilitaremos todo el apoyo logístico y financiero para agilizar la ayuda a estas familias. ¡Máximo Apoyo! pic.twitter.com/DpagVhJ17Z
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) August 26, 2021
On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced that he had ordered the military to join the fight against the aftermath of the disaster, and yesterday signed a decree imposing a state of emergency for 90 days. “The reason is the rains that caused natural disasters in the states of Apure, Bolivar, Yaracui, Zulia and Merida,” Maduro said during a broadcast on Twitter.