At least 164 people lost their lives, and 971 others sustained injuries due to consecutive powerful earthquakes in Venezuela, as announced by the country’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez. Rodriguez mentioned that the quakes led to approximately 30 aftershocks and emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to bolster rescue operations in the most affected regions by mobilizing resources nationwide.
The President expressed optimism that the improved visibility following daybreak would facilitate the acceleration of search-and-rescue missions, as reported by Xinhua news agency. In response to the situation, a national state of emergency was declared by Rodriguez, who also ordered the closure of Maiquetia International Airport, the primary airport serving Caracas.
Additionally, Rodriguez mandated the suspension of classes and nonessential activities across the country for the remainder of the week, urging medical personnel nationwide to provide assistance in treating the injured. Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello, in a televised address, highlighted that the earthquakes impacted various cities and resulted in numerous building collapses in eastern Caracas.
The seismic events, considered some of the most potent to hit Venezuela in over a century, had repercussions felt across the region, triggering evacuations in Brazilian cities situated approximately 1,700 kilometers away from Caracas, the nation’s capital. The tremors commenced shortly after 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday in Caracas, with two earthquakes above magnitude 7 striking Venezuela within a minute, affecting a significant portion of the country.
The earthquakes caused power fluctuations and a brief outage in residential areas, prompting residents to seek refuge in open spaces amid fears of aftershocks. The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude 7.1 earthquake near Montalvan, Venezuela, followed by a magnitude 7.5 quake, both occurring at a depth of 10 km, with the initial quake later revised to a magnitude of 7.2.
A red alert was issued by the USGS, warning of anticipated substantial casualties and widespread damage, with projected economic losses ranging from 2% to 20% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product.
