Venezuela rocked by two magnitude 7 earthquakes; tsunami alert issued

Venezuela rocked by two magnitude 7 earthquakes; tsunami alert issued

Theindiapostdaily.com – Venezuela experienced a 7.5-magnitude earthquake late Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, with its epicenter located 16 kilometers southwest of Morón, a coastal town in the country. Shortly after, a second quake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, shook parts of Venezuela, including the capital, Caracas, as reported by The Associated Press.

The second earthquake’s epicenter was situated west of Morón, near the Caribbean coast, approximately 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas. It struck at a depth of 13 kilometers, causing widespread shaking. The US Tsunami Warning System activated alerts for Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands, noting that islands off Venezuela’s coast—such as Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire—could also face dangerous waves. The warning was lifted within an hour.

Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone

The country sits at the intersection of the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate, making it prone to seismic activity. Social media videos captured the chaos, showing emergency personnel navigating the rubble of collapsed structures in Caracas as night fell. These clips highlighted the devastation, with many buildings reduced to ruins.

“Some buildings have been brought down (in Caracas), houses have collapsed,” stated Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during a televised address.

Residents caught off guard

Many Venezuelans were at home during the quake, celebrating a national holiday that marks the 1821 military victory securing the nation’s independence from Spain. Coro Martinez, a 56-year-old resident of eastern Caracas, described the experience as unprecedented. “There was a very loud crash. Things fell in the house, jugs inside the refrigerator,” she recounted to AP.

Damage and casualties reported

Reuters reported that in Chacao, a district of eastern Caracas, Mayor Gustavo Duque informed Globovision that two structures had collapsed, resulting in 16 injuries and some fatalities. “We’re going to do everything we can to rescue the most people possible,” he emphasized. The USGS warned of potential high casualties and extensive damage, initially predicting a death toll between 10,000 and 100,000.

The US embassy in Caracas urged citizens to take precautions, advising them to seek safe shelter and avoid damaged areas. Officials are continuing to assess the situation and monitor the aftermath of the seismic events.