Venezuela has been shaken by a powerful double earthquake of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 that has caused building collapses, structural damage and the declaration of a state of emergency in several regions of the country. The two earthquakes were recorded just 39 seconds apart and were followed by around twenty aftershocks, which has aggravated the situation in the affected areas.
The epicenter was located near the municipality of Montalbán, in the northwest of the country, about 300 kilometers from Caracas. Although the seismic focus was located far from the capital, the effects have been strongly felt in numerous regions, including Caracas itself, where some of the most serious damage has been recorded.
The president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, appeared a few hours later to announce the declaration of the state of emergency. In a third statement it has confirmed 164 deaths and 971 injuries. The president confirmed the collapse of buildings in different parishes and warned that numerous structures have severe damage and risk of collapse. In addition, he decreed the suspension of classes and asked health workers to return to their jobs to reinforce the response to the emergency.
According to Delcy Rodríguez, the coastal state of La Guaira, a coastal state in the north of the country and neighboring Caracas, is the most affected, with “dozens” of collapsed buildings. “We can say that the state of La Guaira is a true tragedy and is becoming a disaster zone,” he stated.
Emergency teams have been working early in the morning among the rubble of the most affected areas while the work of assessing damage and searching for possible victims continues.
For its part, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has warned that a high number of victims and material damage is likely, noting that the disaster could be widespread due to the intensity of the seismic movements and the population density of some of the affected areas. The next few hours will be decisive in determining the real magnitude of one of the worst seismic emergencies that Venezuela has experienced in recent years.
Delcy Rodríguez has announced that “they are already sending specialized rescuers certified by the UN system” from various parts of the planet, who “are already on their way to our country to support these efforts.” He has also announced the creation of an initial fund of 200 million dollars for the “construction of homes for those who lost their homes.”
