Easter death rate rises: Another bus crash kills 13, holiday toll hits 270

Caracas Daily Journal (Jeremy Morgan): The Easter Weekend slaughter continued with a second terrifying bus crash killing at least 13 people and injuring another 19 on the Flecha de Píritu highway in Portuguesa state. The bus carrying 32 passengers was reported to have collided head-on with an oncoming truck after the driver swerved to avoid a car that had broken down at the roadside. As the injured were taken to hospital, officials said the death toll could be higher.

Reports reaching Caracas said the number of people killed in Sunday's crash between two buses on the highway linking Zulia and Falcón states had risen to 12, from the original estimate of 10.
Rescue workers and mortuary officials said it could take at least two days to identify some of the dead because the bodies had been badly disfigured after the buses burst into flames. Another 24 passengers ended up in hospital, some in critical condition. In the aftermath of Sunday's crash, it was alleged that passengers on one of the two buses had pleaded with the driver to stop drinking and slow down.

The two buses are said to have been racing each other down the highway when one of them swerved sideways into the other.  Relatives complained they were having difficulties obtaining information about victims of the crash. One of the survivors who managed to climb out of a window said she had seen a child trapped in the blaze. At least two children were among the dead.

The dramatic bus crashes attracted most attention as the Easter death rate went on rising. Unofficial estimates said at least 270 people died from unnatural causes during Holy Week up to Sunday. However, road accidents were not the single largest reason. Instead, criminals were said to have claimed 184 lives across the nation.

Within that total, there were 68 murders in Carabobo state between late Friday afternoon and noon on Sunday.

The capital was close behind with 67, including five young people who were killed by villains reportedly intent on stealing their motor bikes. Two people were shot dead during yet another assault on a bus.
Reports said at least 86 people were killed in road accidents or by drowning during a week which had seen high seas hit beaches at several popular resorts. The figures were partial, covering deaths up to Sunday in only nine of Venezuela's 22 states and the capital.

Officials again pleaded with drivers to exercise caution as stragglers flocked home on Monday. In Caracas, Metropolitan Civil Protection Director Jorge Molina said measures were in force aimed at reducing the number of accidents as vacationers returned home. National Civil Protection Director Antonio Rivero announced late Sunday that the alert warning people about dangerous seas at many beaches had been lifted.