Two back-to-back earthquakes hit Venezuela on Wednesday evening, with both having magnitudes of over 7. The quakes were the strongest to hit the country in a century, and resulted in buildings collapsing in the Capital Caracasas, with “high casualties” likely.
The first quake had the magnitude of 7.1, with its epicenter being west of the community of Morón, along the country’s Caribbean coast and 168 kilometers west of Caracasas, the Associated Press cited the US Geological Survey as saying.
The second quake, which hit around a minute later, was even larger with a 7.5 magnitude. It’s epicenter was 16 kilometers southwest of Morón. The first had a depth of 22 kilometers, while the other was even shallower with 10 kilometres.
The quakes destroyed power lines and also caused damage to Caracas’s main airport. While the authorities have not confirmed any deaths or injuries yet, the USGS said, “High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread.” The USGS has estimated the death toll to be somewhere between 10,000 to 100,000, according to Reuters news agency.
‘Building shook from side to side, it was tossing us around’
Eyewitnesses recounted the aftermath of the earthquake and the residents’ reaction during the disaster. Following the quake, which struck slightly after 6 pm, people evacuated buildings which had started swaying, with many shocked as entire walls collapsed, making furniture visible from outside, AP reported.
“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” Caracas resident Hector Ricci told AP.
The residents remained on the streets after sunset, with some sitting on the ground and hugging their pets. There were dust columns in two neighborhoods of the capital, which are usually busy in the evenings owing to restaurants and other businesses. “The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” Caracas resident Roberto Gamas told AP. Gamas added that as the people walked, the quake was “tossing us around”.
