A strong 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Venezuela, causing building collapses in Caracas and confirming fatalities. The shock was widely felt in different regions of the country.
Experts from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated the occurrence of two distinct earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, whose epicenters were just five kilometers apart. These events represent the most intense earthquakes to hit the South American nation in more than a century, the result of the complex interaction between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, which makes the region a zone of high seismic activity.
The USGS projection is alarming, indicating the possibility of thousands of deaths. The entity warned of a “high number of victims and extensive damage”, anticipating that the impact of the disaster should be widespread throughout the affected area.
The most intense earthquake had its epicenter located in the city of El Guayabo, Venezuela. According to USGS data, the central point of the earthquake was 168 kilometers from the capital and at a depth of 13 kilometers.
The strength of the tremor extended to the North of Brazil, with reports of impact in cities such as Manaus, Belém do Pará, Amapá and Roraima. In several of these locations, residents evacuated buildings as a precaution.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on state television that “some buildings collapsed in Caracas and houses collapsed.” He highlighted that estimates of deaths or injuries were not yet available, but assured that emergency protocols were underway to collect the data.
Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves as the country’s main air terminal, also suffered from the effects of the strong earthquake.
After the event, tsunami warnings were initially issued for several Caribbean islands, however, they were later canceled by authorities.
Interestingly, another earthquake, this time of magnitude 6.9, was recorded on the island of Honshu, Japan’s main island, in a separate event with no direct relation to the one that occurred in Venezuela.
The Reuters agency reported that the inhabitants of Caracas quickly evacuated the buildings, amid the intense shaking caused by the earthquake. A person who witnessed the incident detailed the appearance of visible cracks in the external structure of his residence.
The seismic incident occurred on a national holiday in Venezuela, which celebrates an 1821 military victory crucial to the country’s independence from Spain. This meant that many people were in their homes at the time of the shock.
The main tremor was followed by a series of aftershocks, which were noticed even in some areas of Colombian territory.
The Venezuelan capital had not experienced a major earthquake since July 29, 1967. On that occasion, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake resulted in estimates of 225 to 300 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries. The current event, with a greater magnitude, raises even greater concerns about the final number of victims and the extent of the damage.