00:00And in Venezuela, more than 30,000 metric tons of debris are being processed in La Guayda State,
00:05the area most affected by the recent double earthquake on June 24.
00:09The operations connect the collection center in the town of Caravalleda with the Urimari landfill,
00:15two key locations for clearing the communities and protecting the marine ecosystem.
00:20Luis Tavera brings us the details.
00:24A little over a month after the earthquakes in Venezuela,
00:26this isn't just a place where tons of concrete and dirt arrive, it's the starting point for reconstruction.
00:32Every truck that enters here marks the end of a cleanup phase
00:36and the beginning of a technical process to repurpose what the earthquake left behind.
00:44Today we're visiting this temporary waste disposal and sorting center to show you, step by step,
00:51what actually happens to every cubic meter of material removed from the streets.
00:57This is Rafael Pimentel, manager of the Temporary Debris Disposal Center in Caravalleda,
01:03who oversees the reception and sorting of the material that arrives here for further processing.
01:10We've been here since July 2nd.
01:14We began receiving the remains here at this site.
01:19The process works like this.
01:23The trucks arrive.
01:27The material from the transfer station is brought to the storage yard.
01:33Here, the metallic material is separated from the non-metallic material,
01:41and then it goes to the insurance company for the processing phase.
01:47The metallic material is extracted, loaded onto specialized equipment,
01:53and transported to the final processing site,
01:57just like the processed material.
01:59More than 40 workers and specialized machinery, such as hydraulic hammers,
02:04are working on the separation and processing of concrete columns,
02:08sand, and metallic materials.
02:10Contrary to what one might think, no material is dumped into the water.
02:14The process includes a containment barrier that serves as a safety barrier
02:19to prevent debris from the impact zone from reaching the coast,
02:22and thus protect the Caribbean Sea.
02:28We're creating a safety zone here.
02:32And from now on, we're going to start building terraces,
02:36so that when debris comes from the disaster zone,
02:39it will encounter a sort of barrier
02:43that will prevent that material from reaching the safety zone.
02:48We're going to protect our Caribbean Sea.
02:50Debris removal and response efforts in the region have continued uninterrupted.
02:55As part of this operation,
02:57the technical team conducted a thorough assessment
02:59and adjusted the machinery to ensure optimal performance
03:03of the crushing process.
03:05Jimmy Cardona, who is in charge of logistics and operations
03:08for the crushing process,
03:09experienced that contrast the moment he set foot in La Guayra.
03:16I felt a deep sense of pain,
03:18because this was my first time coming to La Guayra,
03:21and my first experience wasn't the best.
03:23But we're here with a completely positive mindset
03:25and the determination to help La Guayra rise again.
03:29After sorting and crushing in Carabaleta,
03:32the story continues at the material's final destination.
03:34We travel to the Santa Eduvigas landfill in the Yurumare Parish,
03:38where the scale of the operation is impressive.
03:46We're receiving approximately 30,000 metric tons of debris.
03:58So as you can see, the Terrace 6, it covers 5 hectares.
04:05And the Terrace 7, up to 6 hectares.
04:08Processing nearly 30,000 metric tons of debris
04:11is the first step toward rebuilding La Guayra.
04:15It's an ongoing effort that cleans the streets,
04:17protects the environment,
04:18and restores a sense of security to its communities.
04:21Filmed by Gustavo Flores.
04:23Luis Tavera, Telesor, La Guayra, Venezuela.
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