Earthquakes in Venezuela: government confirms 164 deaths and almost a thousand injuries

At least 164 people died and 971 were injured after the earthquakes that hit Venezuela on Wednesday night (24). The balance was released by the Venezuelan government this Thursday morning (25), while rescue teams work in areas affected by the collapse of buildings, houses and other structures, mainly in the Caracas region.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), two strong tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 were recorded with epicenters located near the city of El Guayabo, about 168 kilometers from the Venezuelan capital. The agency classified the tremors as the most intense recorded in the country in more than 100 years and warned of the possibility of an increase in the number of victims as search operations progress.

The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, declared a state of emergency and announced the suspension of classes and non-essential services. The government also reported that at least 30 aftershocks were recorded in the hours following the main earthquake. Gas and electricity networks were preventively turned off in affected areas to avoid further accidents.

Rodríguez announced that Venezuela will receive international support in search and rescue operations. According to her, specialized rescue teams linked to the United Nations system are already on their way to the country.

“They are already sending specialized rescuers certified by the UN system. They are on their way to our country to support these tasks”, he stated.

The interim president also announced the creation of an initial fund of US$200 million for the reconstruction of infrastructure affected by the earthquakes. The resources, according to her, come from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and will be used to restore hospitals, housing and other public facilities.

“I want to announce the creation of an initial fund of 200 million dollars, which will allow us to rebuild infrastructure, hospitals and build housing for those who lost their homes,” he declared.

Panic and despair amid the rubble

Images released by media outlets and international agencies show buildings reduced to rubble in Caracas. Among the damages recorded are the collapse of a hotel in the coastal region and damage to Simón Bolívar International Airport, the country’s main air terminal, which had its operations suspended.

The size of the tragedy also appears in the reports of residents of the affected areas. In La Guaira, one of the most affected regions, Yilsmaris Blanco, 39, described to AFP the moments after the tremors. “It was terrible, it was terrible. Everything, everything collapsed, everything, everything,” he said. She also said that many families continue to wait for news of missing relatives.

“We thank God because we are alive, but there are people who are suffering with their buried family members”, he lamented.

In Caracas, in front of a collapsed building, Larry Rojas, 49, reported the despair of those still searching for family members among the rubble. “We have nothing, now we have nothing, not even strength, not even courage to go in there,” he told AFP.

Brazil offers help

In a statement released on Wednesday night, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and made Brazil available to collaborate with recovery efforts.

“I received with deep consternation the news of the earthquakes that hit Venezuela. I express my solidarity with the Venezuelan people and the families of the victims”, he stated.

Lula also declared support for Delcy Rodríguez’s government and said that Brazil is ready to contribute to the reconstruction of the affected areas.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also released a statement expressing regret for the deaths and solidarity with the Venezuelan people. The ministry reported that it is monitoring the situation through the Brazilian Embassy in Caracas and is in contact with local authorities to assess possible needs for assistance and humanitarian cooperation.

Tremors in Brazil

The tremors were felt in several countries in the region and also in states in the North of Brazil, such as Pará, Amazonas, Roraima and Amapá. In some cities, residents reported the evacuation of buildings after the tremors.

The earthquake is considered one of the most serious in Venezuela’s recent history. The last major earthquake to hit Caracas occurred in 1967, when a 6.6 magnitude tremor left hundreds dead and more than 1,500 injured.

*With AFP