In the evening of June 24, Venezuela was shaken by two powerful tremors, among the strongest in the last hundred years. The consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.1 and 7.5 struck the region, causing panic and destruction in the country's capital, Caracas.
Fatal doublet: 7.5 magnitude in a minute
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the catastrophic chain of events began with a 7.1 magnitude tremor. The epicenter of the first earthquake was located near the city of Morón on the Caribbean coast, approximately 168 kilometers west of Caracas. Less than a minute later, the region was shaken by an even more powerful blow — the magnitude reached 7.5.
Such frequency and intensity of tremors created a "doublet" effect, which often leads to more extensive damage than single seismic events. USGS experts immediately warned of a high probability of significant destruction and a large number of casualties due to the colossal energy released underground.
Panic in Caracas: collapses and dust clouds
In the capital, the situation became critical within seconds. Residents rushed out of buildings into the streets to escape potential collapses. Structural collapses were recorded in several districts of Caracas. Witnesses describe scenes where huge clouds of dust rose after buildings were destroyed.
Venezuela's Minister of Interior Diosdado Cabello confirmed that the tremors were felt in several states of the country. According to him, an "alarming situation" arose in certain areas of Caracas specifically due to building collapses. Authorities have already begun rescue operations and urged residents to stay outdoors due to the risk of aftershocks.
Tsunami threat and international resonance
The scale of the event triggered a response from international services. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center declared a threat for part of the Caribbean region. The Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire were under threat. Fortunately, some warnings were subsequently canceled.
At the moment, there is no official data on the exact number of dead or injured. However, considering the destructive force of the tremors and the state of infrastructure, the situation remains tense. Experts note that such catastrophes have occurred in the region extremely rarely, and the current events are among the most powerful in over a century of observations.
Echo of past catastrophes
The events in Venezuela recall recent tragedies in other parts of the world. Last year, a powerful earthquake in Myanmar claimed the lives of more than 2,700 people, with another 400 missing. Also fresh in public memory are the events in the Turkish province of Balıkesir, where a 6.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded. At that time, tremors were felt in Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, and neighboring regions, causing large-scale evacuations and destruction.