Operations at the port of La Guaira, Venezuela, have recovered to 96-97% three months after the June 24 double earthquake, Transportation Minister Francisco Garcés said Thursday.

Garcés, who also heads the Presidential Commission for Habitability Assessment, said maritime operations are almost entirely recovered, though the port suffered damage and some areas of infrastructure warrant a major recovery project.

RELATED: Venezuela Accelerates Recovery Efforts in La Guaira

Three months after the seismic emergency, the commission carried out more than 65,000 inspections of buildings and homes with 4,000 professionals, including engineers and architects, across seven states. In Caracas, more than 30,000 inspections were done; in La Guaira, more than 20,000; and the rest in other entities, according to Garcés.

He said the response plan has three phases. The first two focused on reviewing properties classified with yellow and red tags to determine the magnitude of effects, while the third operates alongside Mayors’ Offices, Governors’ Offices and the Venezuela Reborn Plan to manage intervention priorities.

With support from Stanford and Chile researchers, it was concluded that the earthquakes had “one of the highest peaks in the history recorded by seismology,” Garcés said.

He also said debris removal in La Guaira exceeds 40% progress, with a projection to move two million tons through agreements between the Ministry of People’s Power for Public Works and Miyamoto.

Regarding Maiquetía’s Simón Bolívar International Airport, Garcés said one runway has already been repaired, but another suffered severe damage and its repair phase “will take a significant amount of time.” He noted the airport concentrates a little more than 70% of national and international operations.

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