Venezuelan authorities began to bury hundreds of victims of the earthquakes that devastated the coastal region of La Guaira in an emergency cemetery, while the identification of the deceased and efforts to recover bodies from the rubble continue.

According to the first reports, more than 250 people have been buried in the cemetery set up to deal with the emergency, of which at least 150 remain unidentified.

Each body is buried in an individual grave, marked with a cross and an identification code that will allow eventual recognition by relatives.

The morgues and funeral services in the area were overwhelmed by the magnitude of the disaster, forcing authorities to implement special forensic protocols to avoid the loss of information about the victims.

Experts continue to carry out identification work using fingerprints, physical characteristics and other available records.

Relatives of missing people tour hospitals, forensic centers and the cemetery in the hope of finding their loved ones.

Many have denounced the difficulty in obtaining information due to the high number of victims and the state in which numerous bodies were recovered after the collapse of buildings and homes.

Images of the cemetery show long rows of freshly dug graves, a scene that reflects the dimension of the tragedy facing the country.

Although the site has been described by various media as a “common grave,” authorities assure that each grave has an individual record to facilitate future identification.

The devastating earthquakes that occurred on June 24 left thousands dead, injured and missing, in addition to severe damage to infrastructure and homes, especially in the state of La Guaira.

As the rescue efforts progress, the number of victims continues to increase and authorities anticipate that the emergency cemetery will continue to receive bodies in the coming days.