Heavy rains kill 14 people in Venezuela (Updated)

UPDATES: Local authorities have informed that fourteen people died during the torrential rains last night in Venezuela. 53 houses collapsed in the DF Municipality while 93 were affected at Baruta. Five people died in Caracas alone.

Last night was not easy for most Venezuelans living in Caracas (Caraqueños). As torrential rains blocked streets, public transportation (buses and taxis) stopped servicing people. In addition, many people lost the grounding of their houses and became homeless as rain continued to pour all over the country. I myself could not make it home at all and had to spend the night at a relative´s place. Today, authorities tried to remove trees, stones and mud that blocked many roads at Baruta Municipality. As evidence showed today, Baruta was the most affected not only by rains but by the lacking and poor policies of its Mayor and opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonsky. Baruta Municipality has an estimated population of 317,288 who are torn between the highest income and lowest income inhabitants. Local policies enacted by Capriles Radonsky have been leaning towards the opposition high income inhabitants and their neighbourhoods. Poor areas have been mostly neglected and poorly serviced. No wonder and despite the following article from opposition El Universal, these poor areas of Baruta were the worst hit by the torrential rains in the Municipality. Baruta belongs politically to the Greater Caracas Municipality in Venezuela. It is located geographically in the South-East section of the city. Capriles Radonsky is running as an opposition candidate for the Miranda State governor post in local elections due on Sunday. He is also responsible for the attacks against the Cuban Embassy during the attempted coup against President Chavez.

Related story: Mayor Henrique Capriles will face trial over siege of Cuban Embassy in Caracas.