A building has collapsed in the coastal city of La Guaira, Venezuela, plunging the neighbourhood into chaos. Rescuers are sifting through the rubble, searching for survivors as the clock ticks. Sources on the ground confirm that emergency services are overwhelmed, with limited equipment and manpower.
The structure, a multi-storey residential block, gave way without warning in the early hours, trapping dozens. Witnesses report hearing a low rumble before the building pancaked, sending dust and debris into the streets. Local officials have declared a state of emergency, but the response has been hampered by fuel shortages and a crumbling infrastructure.
This is the latest tragedy in a country already buckling under economic collapse. The government has yet to release an official death toll, but unofficial reports suggest at least 20 are dead, with scores missing. Families are gathering at the site, their faces a mix of desperation and anger.
They ask why this happened, why the building was allowed to deteriorate. The answer, as always in Venezuela, is a system in freefall. The cause of the collapse remains unclear, but documents seen by this reporter indicate the building had been flagged for structural deficiencies years ago.
Nothing was done. The search for survivors continues, but hope is fading with each hour. This is a story of a nation's neglect, written in concrete and dust.
