When the Earth Shakes: 235 Dead in Venezuela Quake Disaster
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return. Venezuela, a nation already scarred by years of economic hardship, now faces its darkest hour as twin earthquakes have claimed at least 235 lives and left more than 46,000 souls unaccounted for. The strongest tremors to strike the region in over a century have reduced buildings to dust and trapped hundreds beneath the rubble, testing the limits of human endurance and the strength of faith.
On Wednesday evening, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck approximately 160 kilometers west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a devastating magnitude 7.5 tremor, the most powerful since 1900, according to the US Geological Survey. The coastal state of La Guaira and the capital Caracas bore the brunt of nature's fury, as structures swayed, crumbled, and collapsed upon the innocent.
How powerful were the Venezuela earthquakes?
The Almighty's power knows no bounds, and when the earth shakes, no fortress of man can stand. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck Venezuela is the strongest to hit the nation in more than a century. Health Minister Carlos Alvarado confirmed that 235 bodies had been received by medical centers, though the true toll is feared to be far greater. The US Geological Survey's predictive modeling indicates the death count could rise into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000.
Jorge Rodriguez, head of Venezuela's national assembly and brother of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, reported that 200 people remain trapped, with 250 buildings damaged or destroyed. At least eight hospitals, the headquarters of the Venezuelan Red Cross, and the French embassy were among the critical structures badly damaged. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated that some 70,000 families in La Guaira state alone have been affected by this calamity.
A nation already tested, now broken further
Venezuela was a nation already on its knees before the earth opened beneath it. Years of economic turmoil had left much of its infrastructure fragile, and this disaster has only compounded the suffering of a people who have endured so much. Aftershocks continue to rattle Caracas and the surrounding coastal areas, as families cling to hope and prayer.
Acting President Rodriguez declared La Guaira, the coastal state adjoining Caracas and home to the capital's main airport, a disaster zone. The government is working with private companies to bring in heavy equipment and accelerate rescue operations. Electricity remains scarce in parts of the state, and the Caracas airport was closed after suffering damage. Witness videos from the terminal showed scenes of panic as ceiling panels crashed down upon terrified civilians.
Sons of the soil dig with bare hands
Where the state's reach falls short, the spirit of the people rises. Emergency workers and volunteers searched through collapsed buildings into the night. In La Guaira city, volunteers dug through wreckage with their bare hands, their fingers bloodied but their resolve unbroken, as families waited for news of missing relatives. Along the Caracas-La Guaira highway, streams of civilians headed toward the coast carrying water, food, and medicine, stepping forward as the scale of the disaster overwhelmed initial rescue efforts.
Yamileth Jimenez, a resident of La Guaira city, said her 19-year-old son remains trapped beneath the slabs of their seven-story apartment building. Her father had died just three days earlier.