Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Sunday reported that she instructed activation of the Civil Protection system to respond to damage caused by Tropical Wave No. 40, which produced heavy rains in Venezuela’s Northern Central region and in Caracas with particular impact on El Valle, La Vega, San Antonio, Coche and Altamira.

Rodríguez said emergency responders remain on alert and are constantly monitoring the events, which she described as a consequence of climate change, and she ordered immediate actions to assist those affected.

“I have instructed Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and the head of Civil Protection, Admiral Oti Paituvi, to activate the Civil Protection system to address the effects of these severe rains,” Rodríguez said.

“We remain alert, attentive, and constantly monitoring the situation through our protection and management mechanisms in the face of these types of weather events currently affecting our country, and we are ready and prepared to address them,” she added, urging the public to remain calm and consult official channels for accurate information on weather conditions and preventative measures.

Meléndez: brigades deployed in critical parishes
Mayor of Caracas Carmen Meléndez reported that following intense rainfall on Saturday night it was necessary to specially activate brigades in critical areas of the capital. “We are monitoring each parish in real time to clear roads, address vegetation, and monitor waterways. We remain attentive to reports for the immediate attention of any possible incident,” she said.

Meléndez said mayor’s teams will remain attentive to citizen reports to offer an immediate response to any incident and reiterated a call for the population to take extreme precautionary measures while the storm continues.

Municipal authorities respond across metropolitan area
Baruta Mayor Darwin González reported via social media that local authorities are deployed in the municipality monitoring and responding to emergencies. “They are currently in the Coracrevi ravine, which has returned to normal levels. Afterwards, they will head to Alto Prado where we received a report of a fallen tree following the heavy rains,” he said.

Chacao Mayor Gustavo Duque called on residents to take precautions and shared municipal emergency numbers as his office monitors the situation.

The Caracas metropolitan area comprises five municipalities: Libertador, Sucre, Baruta, Chacao, and El Hatillo.

Guaire river overload and highway closuresAn overload of the Guaire river near El Valle parish was reported as one of the most impactful events affecting Caracas during the storm. Nahum Fernández, head of government of the Capital District, said prevention and security forces remain deployed in various points of Caracas to respond to the emergency.

He reported clearing and cleaning work on the Valle–Coche highway and said the road would be closed for approximately three hours to facilitate removal of sediments and debris accumulated by the heavy rains. “We have approximately 700 workers, including the National Police, the ZODI Capital Corps, the Fire Department, Civil Protection and the various security entities, together with the Services Corporation, to be able to clear this area,” he said on social media.

Fernández added that attention is not limited to the highway area and that teams are deployed across other affected areas of Caracas, supporting residents and maintaining constant direct communication with Acting President Rodriguez.

Nearly 100 people were rescued near the Valle–Coche highway. Fire Chief Pablo Palacios said floodwaters affected the Valle Abajo Fire Station.

He reported that near the Simón Bolívar Stadium a woman of about 30 years of age who was traveling on a motorcycle with her daughter skidded due to the rains and were “swept away by the river.” They are now considered missing.

It was reported that 20 people were affected by flooding in El Valle; they were assisted by emergency services and taken to health centers. Flooding affected between 60 and 70 vehicles in the area.

Los Teques and Guaicaipuro: homes damaged, missing people
In Los Teques, in the Guaicaipuro municipality, 36 homes were damaged and two people are missing, Mayor Farith Fraija said early Sunday. He reported that a vehicle fell into the El Alambique ravine; three people were in the car, including a minor, who managed to get out and was treated by rescue teams. Search efforts continue for the other two occupants of the vehicle.

“What we experienced today in Los Teques was intense. More than six hours of continuous rain tested us, and in the El Alambique ravine, the water got out of control. The current was so strong that it swept away a vehicle, leaving two people missing, and believe me, that hurts us deeply and motivates us to act without delay,” Fraija said.

Aragua: vehicle swept away, ongoing search
In Aragua state, two people were reported missing after a pickup truck was swept away by rising waters of the Aragua River, Mayor Juan Carlos Sánchez of the José Félix Ribas municipality reported. He identified the missing as Zuleika Morillo and Eduardo Barbera.

On the morning of August 23, authorities announced the vehicle had been located. “An initial dive was conducted with all safety equipment and following all protocols; no one was found inside the vehicle,” Sánchez said. The search for the people who were in the car continues, and officials said they have been in communication with the families.

Venezuela’s Reconstruction Plan Advances as Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 6,438

Heavy rains, earthquake, US sanctions and electricity stress
Venezuela, already affected by the catastrophic June 24 earthquake, has been experiencing an intensification of the rainy season that historically runs through October-November.

The country has suffered a sharp deterioration of its electricity grid amid more than a decade of illegal US sanctions, and the earthquake and recent heavy rains have increased stress on the system with reports of electricity blackouts multiplying across the country in recent days.

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

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