"Ya no somos vecinos, somos una familia": así sobreviven los damnificados del terremoto en Caracas

Keila Manrique lives among tents and awnings set up in front of the Miranda building in El Paraíso, after the powerful earthquakes of June 24th damaged the structure where she lived. Although her limited mobility prevents her from staying there overnight, she returns every day to the place where she now lives with her neighbors, whom she considers family. “Empathy and unity are very important; that’s what I’ve learned. I prayed so much to God, and I still do. Our faith can’t fail us. Here, we neighbors are no longer just neighbors; we’re family, and they’ve supported us: everyone comes around,” she says. The earthquake caught her inside her apartment, right next to the San Judas Tadeo building, which was reduced to rubble. “I felt the rumble, and the windows started shattering. I thought the earth was going to swallow us whole,” she recalls. In the midst of the chaos, she managed to escape with her granddaughter and a neighbor as part of the structure collapsed. “When we came out, everything was collapsed,” he recounts. Since then, residents have been taking turns standing guard in front of the building, where they have set up a temporary shelter. He says they have received plenty of food and support from neighbors, churches, and volunteers while they await damage assessments. 📖 Read the full coverage on El Nacional's website. 🔔 Subscribe to El Nacional's channel and turn on notifications to follow all our special coverage of the earthquake in Venezuela. 👉 Subscribe to El Nacional Premium. More depth. More diversity. More analysis. More El Nacional, without limitations or interruptions. Written by: Luis de Jesús Image: Tairy Gamboa #ElNacionalPremium #NewEraEN #Venezuela #Earthquake #Caracas #ElParaíso #Victims #Solidarity #Survivors #ElNacional #News