Venezuela shifts to clearing rubble and recovering bodies as rescue teams depart

Venezuela entered a new stage in its response to the June 24 twin earthquake, focused on clearing rubble and recovering bodies, after the departure of nearly all international rescue teams.

In the streets of La Guaira, the hardest-hit area, dozens of machines arrived in recent hours to speed up those tasks, which now fall mainly to Venezuelan volunteers, firefighters, civil defense and residents.

The official toll stands at 2,954 dead and more than 16,500 injured. ...