Venezuelans struggle to get water and food, on the fifth day of the worst blackout in Venezuela.
The emergency, which affects 22 of the 23 states, in addition to the capital Caracas, maintains intermittent electricity service in several sectors, although there are areas of the interior without electricity since last Thursday.
The recovery is very slow, to the point that the government extended until Wednesday the suspension of work and student hours.
The cut of electricity has collapsed the water supply, already deficient in itself, so many try to colect the vital fluid from natural sources. In a desperate measure, a group of people went down to the Guaire River, in Caracas, an irregular outlet located on the side of the black water channel. The water is contaminated with human waste.
The inhabitants assure that from the affluent of the contaminated river emanated potable water, reason why they tried to collect it in buckets, until they were evicted by the military.
Tomando agua de lo que cae al Guaire…..desesperación! pic.twitter.com/bwBZmIYOkN
— Miguel H Otero (@miguelhotero) 11 de marzo de 2019
Critical situation
Water is scarce to cover the basic needs of the population. It is indispensable for drinking, cooking and bathing but there is none. According to several testimonies, the slow recovery due to the blackout is also affecting the distribution of food and medicines.
The NGO Codevida maintains that 15 kidney patients died due to lack of dialysis, and the opposition leader Juan Guaidó said that 17 others have died in hospitals. But the government of Nicolás Maduro denies it.
LuzMery González * blames Maduro for the precarious situation of public services. She is on the Guaire trying to acquire drinking water because she needs to cook for her children
LuzMery González* culpa al presidente Maduro por la situación precaria de los servicios públicos. Está en la rivera del Guaire tomando agua porque necesita cocinar para sus hijos #11Mar 1:00 p.m. pic.twitter.com/U6iEqhQO7e
— Arnaldo Espinoza (@Naldoxx) 11 de marzo de 2019
Another sad day for the Venezuelans.
The Yucatan Times
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