On the evening of June 24, northern Venezuela faced a terrible ordeal. Two powerful tremors, occurring in quick succession with less than a minute between them, caused widespread destruction and loss of life. The epicenter of the disaster was in the coastal areas, with the aftermath affecting the capital and several states.
The Power of Nature: Two Strikes in a Row
Events unfolded rapidly. First, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck 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 jolt — 7.5 on the Richter scale. It was the combination of these two strong shocks that led to catastrophic consequences.
In Caracas, residents rushed out of buildings into the streets to escape collapsing structures. Several districts of the capital witnessed building collapses and massive clouds of dust. Damage was recorded not only in the capital but also in the states of Trujillo, Carabobo, Aragua, Miranda, and La Guaira.
Human Casualties and the Disaster Zone
Official data announced by the President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, confirms the tragic scale of the events. According to the latest count, at least 32 people have died. It is important to note that this figure does not include data from the state of La Guaira, which was hit the hardest.
"One can say that the state of La Guaira is a true tragedy and has become a disaster zone," emphasized the head of state. In this coastal region, dozens of buildings have been destroyed. More than 700 injured people with various injuries have been taken to hospitals across the country, both public and private.
International Reaction and Rescue Operations
In connection with the catastrophe in Venezuela, a state of emergency has been declared. The country's authorities are already expecting the arrival of international rescue teams. Assistance has been promised by the USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Qatar, and the Dominican Republic.
Condolences to the victims were also expressed in Ukraine. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, stated solidarity with the Venezuelan people.
"We express our sincere condolences to the families of the victims. We wish a speedy recovery to the wounded and strength to the rescue teams working tirelessly on the ground. We believe that all affected communities will be able to recover from this tragic catastrophe as quickly as possible," noted the head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Tsunami Threat and Subsequent Events
Immediately following the tremors, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert for part of the Caribbean region. The Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire were put at risk. Fortunately, some warnings were later cancelled, although the scale of destruction on land has already been inflicted.
