Violent winds and dust storms cause damage across Venezuela’s Torres municipality

A severe windstorm accompanied by dense clouds of dust battered urban and rural areas of Torres municipality in Venezuela’s Lara state, leaving damaged public infrastructure, collapsed roofs and problems with electricity lines.

In the urban area of Carora, powerful gusts alarmed pedestrians and drivers along Francisco de Miranda Avenue. Near the upper section of the avenue, the winds knocked down a public lighting pole, sending high-voltage cables onto the paved central median in front of several businesses.

The storm also hit rural communities. In the Montañas Verdes farming settlement, in the Cecilio Zubillaga parish, the metal roof structure over the local stadium’s stands collapsed completely. The collapse also damaged a neighboring home and left community facilities exposed.

Residents of Quebrada Grande reported dense dust clouds that sharply reduced visibility on major roads. Strong air currents carried objects through the area and lifted farm animals as they passed. People in affected communities voiced concern about possible power outages and called for prevention teams and Civil Protection officials to inspect the damage and rule out further risks.