A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck Venezuela late on June 24, becoming the strongest seismic event in the country since the early 20th century. The disaster has claimed at least 164 lives and injured over 900 people.
Mirta Perasa, a resident of Venezuela, recounted losing her entire family during the incident. “My granddaughter was playing outside. And when my daughter ran out to pick her up, a beam fell on her. She didn’t have time, she didn’t have time to hide. Everything happened very quickly: a warning message came, followed immediately by an earthquake,” Perasa said.
Journalist Mariorin Mendes, who visited the temporary camp in coastal Catia la Mar where displaced families are being held, described the immediate aftermath. “Everything happened so quickly that people had almost no chance to save themselves and leave their homes. The victims spent time here all night in the open air,” Mendes stated.
Survivors have set up makeshift shelters on the beach. Some have erected tents directly on the lawn, while others use beach umbrellas for shade from the intense sun. Others cover the ground with sheets draped over beams and blankets to create small, protected areas.
Seismologist Danila Chebrov of the Kamchatka branch of the Federal Research Center “Unified Geophysical Service” of the Russian Academy of Sciences predicted prolonged aftershocks that could last for an extended period.
In response to the tragedy, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to Venezuela’s President Delcy Rodriguez. Rodriguez thanked him for expressing solidarity and confirmed that Moscow is considering humanitarian assistance for affected regions in Venezuela.
