Earthquake in Venezuela: buildings have collapsed, 32 dead and 700 injured
The scale of the disaster suggests the worst: the first tremor had a magnitude of 7.1, and the second was as high as 7.5
Two extremely powerful earthquakes, occurring in quick succession, have brought Venezuela to its knees, causing hundreds of buildings to collapse. The scale of the disaster suggests the worst: the first quake had a magnitude of 7.1, whilst the second was as high as 7.5. The consequences of this earthquake were made even more severe by the shallow depth of the epicentre, just 10 kilometres below the surface. And, above all, by the fact that the houses were built without any regard for earthquake-resistant standards.
The area hardest hit, apart from the capital, is the region west of Caracas. In particular, the rural province of Yumarè, a town of around 20,000 inhabitants, which remains completely cut off. The telephone network is down and communication is only possible via WhatsApp. It was the strongest earthquake in 126 years in this region, with tremors felt as far as 160 kilometres from the epicentre, on the border with Colombia.
Panic and despair gripped people who, in a matter of minutes, lost everything, both in the capital, Caracas, and across a vast area in the west of the country. “The house was collapsing on top of us; it was like a horror film,” said a woman who escaped to safety by fleeing her home in Caracas, now reduced to a pile of rubble. “The explosion was terrifying,” added a neighbour.
The number of victims
So far, there are 32 confirmed fatalities and 700 injured, but there are fears of a mass casualty incident. A mayor from the town of Chacao, one of the worst-hit areas, has admitted that there are casualties, but without giving any details. The international airport has been severely damage to the international airport, which has suspended flights: in many areas of the terminal the roof has collapsed, causing scenes of panic amongst passengers. Within minutes, telephone networks were overwhelmed by calls from millions of Venezuelans living abroad, anxious to hear from their loved ones. Gas supplies have also been suspended for safety reasons.
State of Emergency
People poured into the streets in a state of shock. Just three hours after the disaster, the acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, appeared on public television, visibly shaken, addressed the nation, declaring a state of emergency and calling for national unity: ‘After the first two tremors, we had 20 aftershocks. The situation is serious; many areas have been severely affected. My message now is to remain united and calm in order to save lives: all organisations have set to work.”
