Venezuela earthquakes: What happens in the first 72 hours?
Experts say the first three days following a serious quake often determine how many lives can still be saved. Rescue teams are racing against time
Experts say the first three days following a serious quake often determine how many lives can still be saved. Rescue teams are racing against time across Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes ripped through the country, leaving hundreds of people dead, thousands injured and many others trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The country’s health minister said at least 235 people have been killed and more than 4,300 wounded, with the death toll expected to rise amid the devastation, which is concentrated in the northern coastal state of La Guaira and in the capital city, Caracas. The back-to-back earthquakes – measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 – were felt across much of the country and as far away as parts of Brazil, prompting international offers of humanitarian assistance and the dispatch of search and rescue teams from around the world. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a nationwide state of emergency, while Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas has been closed after it was damaged. As rescuers comb through the rubble, every passing hour matters. The first 72 hours after a major earthquake are widely regarded as the most critical period for saving lives. During that window, emergency responders race to free survivors before dehydration, crush injuries and collapsing buildings dramatically reduce the chances of survival. Here’s what typically happens – and all the factors which must be considered during rescue efforts – during those crucial first three days after a major earthquake. Why was this earthquake so destructive? Venezuela lies on the boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, which grind past one another at roughly 22 millimetres a year, making the country particularly vulnerable to powerful earthquakes. About 80 percent of Venezuela’s population lives in seismically active areas. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the first magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck near San Felipe, about 284km (176 miles) west of Caracas, at 18:04 local time (22:04 GMT). It was followed almost immediately by a second, stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake near Yumare, roughly 293km (182 miles) west of the capital. The earthquakes were also relatively shallow, occurring less than 20 kilometres (12 miles) beneath the Earth’s surface, causing stronger shaking than deeper earthquakes of a similar magnitude. Immediately after the quake, the USGS warned that “high casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread”. Despite the strength of the earthquakes, tsunami warnings issued across the Caribbean were later lifted, partly because the epicentres were inland rather than beneath the sea. What is the first response? Within minutes of the earthquakes striking, authorities began activating emergency response plans across the country, with Rodriguez declaring a nationwide state of emergency as local authorities mobilised firefighters, police, medical teams and civil defence workers. The Chacao municipality in the Caracas metropolitan area reported that it had activated its emergency mechanisms, while neighbouring regions also began assessing damage and dispatching first responders.
The BriefWire