Venezuela landslide: Maduro pledges to rebuild Las Tejerias

President Maduro has visited the small town of Las Tejerias and vowed to rebuild each and every home affected by the deadly landslide.

According to him, ”We take with us the pain, the clamor, the despair, the tears of the people, but they must know that Las Tejerías will rise like the phoenix, Las Tejerías will be reborn.”

Torrential rainfall caused the river El Pato to burst its banks on Saturday, causing floodwaters to wash away belongings, cars, houses, and properties in the town, some 50km southwest of the capital, Caracas.

Not less than 43 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 50 people are still missing.

Also Read: Scores missing, 25 dead in Venezuela floods

Also, reports revealed that more than 300 houses have been destroyed. This made the area a natural disaster zone.

Hopes are already fading that any more survivors will be found, four days since the deadly landslide happened.

Residents from surrounding regions arrived to help search through the thick mud and debris, as well as the police, soldiers, and sniffer dogs.

On Tuesday several funerals were held, including for at least one child who died. Distressing pictures at the service show mourners collapsed from grief.

This is Venezuela’s worst natural disaster in decades. While the crisis-hit nation is used to heavy rainfall, Saturday’s deluge was unusually torrential, with a month’s worth of rainfall in the area, in just eight hours.

Samuel Omowumi Racheal