The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela's La Guaira state last Wednesday—magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 within 39 seconds—killed over 1,700 and collapsed nearly 800 buildings. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez called it the 'most brutal natural catastrophecatastrophe/kəˈtæstrəfi/L2灾难；大祸a terrible event that causes a lot of suffering, damage, or death' in the nation's history. A magnitude 4.6 aftershockaftershock/ˈæftərʃɒk/L2余震a small earthquake that happens after a bigger one, usually in the same area on Monday further frayedfrayed/freɪd/L3紧张的，磨损的（指神经、耐心等因压力而变得脆弱或烦躁）Strained or worn, especially in reference to nerves, patience, or temper, due to stress or anxiety. nerves, though no additional damage was reported. Tens of thousands remain missing, and hopes of finding survivors are fading.
Government aid has been conspicuouslyconspicuously/kənˈspɪkjuəsli/L3明显地，引人注目地（尤指以负面或令人惊讶的方式）In a way that is very noticeable or obvious, often implying something that should be present is absent or lacking. absent, forcing residents to use crowbars and pickaxes while civil protection personnel lack equipment and work with their hands. Earth-moving machinery arrived sporadically, often too late, and in Catia La Mar, volunteers bore the bruntbrunt/brʌnt/L3主要冲击，最沉重的部分（指承受最严重的打击、责任或压力）The main force, impact, or burden of something unpleasant or damaging. of rescue operations. One resident lamented that earlier intervention could have saved lives, a sentiment echoed by many amid the dire economic situation. The government's police presence on streets contrasted with their absence from the rubble.
International aid has mobilised, though hopes of finding survivors are dwindling rapidly indeed. A 21-year-old man was pulled alive after 100 hours, rescued by international teams. The UN pledged 10,000 body bags, acknowledging that a rise in the death toll is unavoidable. The US increased its aid to over $300m, while China promised nearly $15m and the Netherlands sent a vessel carrying emergency supplies.
The government established a commission to assess damage, chaired by the president's brother, using a colour-coded system to classify building safety. Temporary camps are being set up for the displaced. Yet criticism abounds: residents in El Junquito reported few officials, relying on farmers for supplies. Arguably, the disaster has laid bare the fragilityfragility/frəˈdʒɪlɪti/L3脆弱性，易碎性（指系统、结构或状态容易被破坏或崩溃的特性）The quality of being easily broken, damaged, or destroyed; lack of resilience or robustness. of Venezuela's state capacity, raising questions about its ability to manage future crises.
