According to testimonies gathered in the area, the rescue of approximately 200 people trapped under the structures is almost exclusively relying on the shoulders of the neighbors themselves. Due to the lack of heavy machinery, cranes, and cutting tools, survivors are using their own hands and rudimentary tools to remove debris, under the spontaneous motto: "Where there is a lack of government, the people step in".
The neighbors' complaint extends to the absence of military personnel and civil protection staff equipped with the necessary gear to access the over 250 damaged buildings. Relatives of the 157 missing individuals reported so far criticize that, after the first 24 hours, state aid has been insufficient and uncoordinated. This sense of abandonment is compounded by the collapse of the local healthcare system: the Government has confirmed that eight hospitals have suffered significant damage, leading to the evacuation of several of them at a time when medical attention is crucial for the thousands of injured.
In the streets of Catia La Mar and Caraballeda, the scene is devastating. Without the intervention of professional rescue teams, time is running out for those still breathing under tons of concrete. Citizens demand that the State immediately mobilize the necessary resources to prevent the number of victims from increasing due to the mere logistical incapacity of the authorities.