Venezuela hit by major quake as destruction reported in capital city
People urgently evacuating buildings during the earthquake (Photo: Getty Images)
In Venezuela, on the evening of June 24, two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.1 and 7.5 occurred. The tremors caused damage to buildings in the capital, Caracas, according to CNN.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake of magnitude 7.1 occurred near the city of Morón on the Caribbean coast of Venezuela, approximately 168 kilometers west of Caracas. Less than a minute later, an even stronger tremor of magnitude 7.5 shook the region.
In Caracas, people rushed out of buildings onto the streets in large numbers. In several areas of the capital, structural collapses were recorded, along with clouds of dust after buildings were destroyed. Authorities reported damage to residential buildings and the start of rescue operations.
Venezuelan Minister of Internal Affairs Diosdado Cabello stated that the earthquakes were felt in several states of the country. According to him, a worrying situation had developed in some areas of Caracas due to building collapses. Authorities urged residents to stay outdoors because of the risk of aftershocks.
Following the earthquakes, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a threat for parts of the Caribbean region, including the Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire. Later, some warnings were canceled.
Currently, there is no official data on the number of dead or injured. At the same time, specialists from the US Geological Survey warned of the likelihood of significant destruction and many casualties due to the earthquakes' magnitude.
According to experts, these tremors were among the most powerful in Venezuela in over a hundred years.
Last year, a powerful earthquake occurred in Myanmar. At that time, the death toll exceeded 2,700 people, with another 400 still considered missing.
It was also reported that a powerful earthquake struck Türkiye's Balıkesir province – a magnitude of 6.1 was recorded. The tremors were felt in Istanbul, İzmir, Bursa, and a number of neighboring regions.
