Venezuela remains in a state of emergency this Thursday (25) after being hit by two strong earthquakes the night before, which resulted in the deaths of 164 people and left 971 injured. More than 500 emergency teams work tirelessly to rescue survivors trapped under the rubble, in a scenario of destruction that shook several cities across the country.
The tremors, described as the worst to hit the nation in a century, caused the collapse of buildings and homes in the capital Caracas and elsewhere. The population, although shocked, celebrates each life saved, with videos and images circulating on social media showing the celebration of each successful rescue.
The initial assessment of the tragedy and the uncertainty about the future
The two main earthquakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, occurred less than a minute apart on Wednesday (24), shortly after 7pm Brasília time. The epicenter of the strongest tremor was located near the city of El Guayabo, approximately 168 kilometers from Caracas.
The intensity and shallowness of the earthquakes (about 13 kilometers deep) contributed to the severity of the damage. In addition to the initial shocks, the Venezuelan government recorded at least 20 aftershocks in the following hours, keeping the population on alert.
Although the official death toll is 164, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) projects a much larger scale for the catastrophe, estimating that the number of fatalities could vary between 10,000 and 100,000. This discrepancy highlights the magnitude of the challenge for rescue teams and the possibility that many lives are still buried.
Global solidarity: the mobilization of countries to help Venezuela
The international community reacted promptly to the tragedy, with dozens of heads of state and government expressing solidarity and offering humanitarian aid. Countries such as the United States, Türkiye, Mexico and Portugal, which have experience with devastating earthquakes, made themselves available to send medical products, rescue teams and experts.
The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, thanked the support received and informed that first foreign rescuers should arrive in the country in the next few hours. This collaborative effort is essential to expand response capacity and accelerate the search for survivors amid the complexity of operations.
US President Donald Trump declared solidarity and stated that he had activated all US government agencies to assist. China, which historically has commercial ties with Venezuela, also promised to do everything possible to help the nation after the disaster, even in the context of Nicolás Maduro’s arrest by American military personnel.
The trail of destruction through Venezuelan cities
The earthquakes caused widespread devastation. Reports from authorities and residents show the collapse of numerous buildings in Caracas and other cities. In one of the most shocking events, a hotel with at least eight floors completely collapsed on the coast, and Simón Bolívar International Airport, the country’s main air terminal, had part of its roof collapse and was closed.
The capital’s hospitals were immediately mobilized to treat the large number of injured people, with employees called in to reinforce night shifts. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, suspended classes and non-essential services, and ordered the shutdown of gas and electricity networks to prevent additional incidents.
Details of the earthquakes and their reflections in the region
The earthquakes that hit Venezuela presented important characteristics that explain their impact and the consequences felt in other locations:
- Magnitudes:Two mainshocks measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale were recorded.
- Epicenter:Located near the city of El Guayabo, about 160 kilometers from the capital Caracas.
- Depth:Classified as a shallow earthquake, with a depth of 13 kilometers, which intensifies perception and damage on the surface.
- Tremors in Brazil:The Brazilian Seismographic Network confirmed that the tremors were recorded and felt by residents of cities in the Northern Region, including Belém, Manaus, Boa Vista and Macapá.
- Tsunami Alert:An initial tsunami warning for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was issued but canceled about an hour later, eliminating the risk of dangerous waves in Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire.
The complex geological dynamics behind the tremors
The occurrence of earthquakes in Venezuela is not an isolated fact, but rather a consequence of its geographic location in an area of intense seismic activity. The country is located in the region where the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates meet.
The constant interaction and sliding between these plates generate tensions in the Earth’s crust, which are periodically released in the form of earthquakes. This geological characteristic increases Venezuela’s vulnerability to tremors, which makes the resilience of buildings and emergency plans even more critical for the safety of the population.