SÃO PAULO, SP (FOLHAPRESS) - Two earthquakes, of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela this Wednesday (June 24), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), causing scenes of panic in Caracas. Authorities report deaths and injuries, but as of the latest update of this article there was no official tally.
The main tremor (7.5) occurred 39 seconds after the precursor (7.2), at a distance of about 45 kilometers, both in the north of the country. Several aftershocks followed the first earthquake, which was recorded at 6:04 p.m. local time (7:04 p.m. Brasília time), according to USGS data. The earthquakes occurred at different depths and were also felt in Colombia.
Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez made a statement hours after the event declaring a state of emergency in the country and expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, without specifying how many. Delcy also stated that the Simón Bolívar International Airport, the country's main airport, is closed due to "severe damage to its infrastructure."
The USGS said it is "likely that there will be a large number of casualties and extensive damage in Venezuela." On an alert scale used by the USGS, the agency estimates a 40% chance of between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths from these earthquakes. In parallel, there is a 36% chance that the number is between 1,000 and 10,000; 14% above 100,000; and 10% between 100 and 1,000.
The estimates do not take into account the country's current scenario, but rather a projection comparing the seismic records obtained this Wednesday with parameters pre-established by the agency. The numbers may be revised as new information becomes available.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said that the police and fire department have been activated. "We have buildings and houses that collapsed, and we are dealing with the situation using all available security and civil assistance resources," he said.
Panic and cracked buildings
"Scenes of panic were seen in a shopping center in Caracas," reported an AFP journalist. Dozens of people left buildings in the Venezuelan capital and waited on the street before returning to their offices and homes, witnesses said.
A Venezuelan woman told Reuters about cracks appearing in the wall of her apartment and broken glass at the building entrance.
According to Reuters witness videos, fire trucks circulated through the streets of Caracas after the tremors, and the facades of some buildings suffered significant damage. Many residents lost power or internet access shortly after the earthquake.
In Colombia, the National Unit for Risk Management (UNGRD) ruled out a tsunami alert. The US system, in turn, issued alerts and, minutes later, canceled them. The statement warned of possible dangerous waves in the region of Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea.
Holiday in the country
When the tremors began, many Venezuelans were at home, on a holiday celebrating a military victory in 1821 that helped secure the country's independence from Spain. "As soon as it started, we began hearing people screaming," said Astrid Ramirez, a 41-year-old publicist living in western Caracas. "Everyone was running down the stairs."
Residents across the capital — which was also hit by a devastating magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 1967 — rushed out of buildings as they swayed. "There was a very loud bang. Things fell inside the house, jars inside the refrigerator. I've never experienced anything like it," said Coro Martinez, 56, a resident of the eastern zone of the city.
Maria Romero, an 80-year-old retiree living in southern Caracas, said police helped her leave her home. "This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967," she said.
The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "regret for the losses caused by the earthquakes" and stated that, as of tonight, "no Brazilians have been identified among the victims."
