[Anchor]

The number of casualties from the earthquake in Venezuela continues to rise. The number of injured people has doubled in just one day, surpassing 10,000, and hospitals are struggling desperately to treat the influx of patients.

Reporter Gwak Sang-eun has the story.

[Reporter]

A hospital at the site of the earthquake damage in Venezuela.

Beds fill not only the wards but also the hallways, and patients who could not find a spot are lying on mattresses spread out on the floor.

[Doctor at a hospital in Caracas: I haven't been able to rest even once since the earthquake struck on the 24th. The damage is so extensive that patients keep pouring in.]

Medical staff and employees have been unable to leave the hospital since the earthquake occurred.

[Administrative staff at a hospital in Caracas: I cannot leave the hospital, and because my wife and children are afraid to be at home without me while aftershocks continue, my family has come to stay at the hospital.]

Even so, hospitals that have medical staff and the capacity to provide treatment are in a better situation.

Many hospitals in the affected areas are virtually paralyzed.

This is because a surge of patients hit after the consecutive strong earthquakes, at a time when medical equipment and staff were already severely lacking due to long-standing Western sanctions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Venezuela's healthcare facilities have already exceeded their capacity, raising the risk of a large-scale epidemic.

The confirmed death toll is nearing 2,000, and the number of injured has more than doubled in a single day, well exceeding 10,000.

Rescue operations remain slow as even the heavy equipment available cannot be used due to fuel shortages.

[Heavy equipment operator: (Why is the machine stopped?) There is no fuel.]

However, the hands of rescue workers striving to save even one more life have not stopped.

[Footage filmed on June 30 (local time): Hernan, try moving your hand again.]

Yesterday, news of a miraculous survival was reported as a three-year-old child was rescued after six days.

While support continues to arrive, such as the restoration of the La Guaira port, which suffered the most damage, and the arrival of 47 tons of UN relief supplies, it is still insufficient to alleviate the difficulties at the disaster site.

(Video Editing: Lee Seung-yeol)