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Shocking videos of the strong earthquake that shook Venezuela
🇦🇷 Argentina /Disasters & Emergencies

Shocking videos of the strong earthquake that shook Venezuela

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Strong earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.1 tremor, shook Venezuela's coast, causing panic and destruction.
  • Videos circulating on social media show passengers fleeing an airport, damaged buildings in Caracas, and intense shaking within homes.
  • Authorities confirmed building collapses, and residents described the earthquake as severe, with some comparing it to the 1967 quake.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck Venezuela's Caribbean coast on Wednesday, generating scenes of panic and destruction that quickly spread across social media. The epicenter was located about 28 kilometers west of Morón, with a depth of 13 kilometers, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was felt strongly in the capital, Caracas, and several other states, and was even perceived in neighboring Colombia.

Impactful videos emerged from Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, showing passengers running for safety as the terminal shook and lights flickered. Images captured the confusion of travelers and staff amidst the intense movement. Other recordings documented severe damage in various parts of Caracas, with cracked facades, collapsed walls, and affected building structures visible. Dust clouds rose from popular neighborhoods in the capital as debris fell.

We have had some buildings come down, houses and dwellings have collapsed, we are attending to them with all security and assistance agencies, civil protection.

— Diosdado CabelloVenezuelan Interior Minister, confirming building collapses and emergency response efforts.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on local television that buildings and houses had collapsed. "We have had some buildings come down, houses and dwellings have collapsed, we are attending to them with all security and assistance agencies, civil protection," he stated. While authorities did not immediately provide figures on injuries or fatalities, Cabello mentioned "alarming" situations in Caracas's Altamira neighborhood and urged the public to remain outdoors due to the possibility of aftershocks.

Residents recounted harrowing experiences. "This tremor was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967," said María Romero, an 80-year-old retiree living in southern Caracas. Emergency services, including fire trucks, were seen deploying throughout Caracas as residents gathered on sidewalks, fearing to return to their homes. The earthquake generated widespread panic, with many people rushing out of shaking buildings and remaining visibly shaken on the streets.

This tremor was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967.

— María RomeroAn 80-year-old retiree in southern Caracas, describing the intensity of the earthquake.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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