A Major Earthquake Struck Venezuela

Buildings collapsed in Caracas.

On the night of June 25, a strong earthquake struck Venezuela, affecting several states and the capital, Caracas, reported the country’s interior minister Diosdado Cabello. “We are facing very alarming situations. Buildings, houses, and residential structures have collapsed,” Cabello said. According to Venezuelan authorities, at least 32 people were killed and 700 were injured. Caracas was hit the hardest, where at least three high-rise residential buildings collapsed, and the walls of many homes, according to local residents, cracked. “It was like a scene from a horror movie,” said one resident of a destroyed building.

Parts of Caracas lost power and cell service, and the streets were blocked by debris and fallen utility poles. Authorities suspended subway service and gas supply and urged people to stay outdoors due to the risk of aftershocks. In addition, Simón Bolívar International Airport sustained damage and ceased receiving and dispatching flights. Rail service across the country has been suspended. Damage has also been reported in other states of Venezuela. Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), two strong earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 were recorded off the coast of Venezuela, approximately 168 kilometers west of Caracas. The tremors were felt in Brazil and Colombia, among other places. The USGS has assigned a red alert level to the situation in Venezuela. Specifically, the agency estimated a 44% probability that the death toll from the earthquake would range from 10,000 to 100,000 people.

Estimated economic losses could range from 2 to 20% of Venezuela’s GDP, the USGS noted. Following the earthquakes, the NOAA/NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.

Also, on the night of June 25, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan. The tremors were recorded near Iwate Prefecture, with the epicenter located at a depth of about 50 km. Japanese authorities reported no fatalities, injuries, or significant damage. No tsunami warning was issued.

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