FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The toll from the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela continues to mount, with over 25,000 people reported missing by their families. According to data published on a special platform for searching for people, 26,086 reports have been registered so far, while more than 1,200 people have been located alive after initially being declared missing.
Authorities clarify that this does not constitute an official balance of missing persons, but reflects the chaotic situation on the ground, where thousands of families still have no contact with their relatives due to extensive damage to infrastructure and communication disruptions.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed victims has reached 164, while 971 people have been injured, as rescue teams continue searching dozens of collapsed buildings.
Why was the earthquake so destructive?
According to experts, although earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 are not uncommon globally, the combination of several factors made the disaster in Venezuela particularly severe.
The strike occurred in the north of the country, where the most populated areas are located, including the capital Caracas, with over two million inhabitants, and the state of La Guaira, one of the most affected regions.
Another decisive factor was the very shallow depth of the earthquakes. The strongest tremor occurred only about 10 kilometers below the Earth's surface, causing almost all of the seismic energy to be transmitted to the surface and causing massive building collapses.
Experts also point to other recent cases, such as the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in the Philippines or the 8.8 magnitude one in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, which caused far fewer casualties, mainly because they hit less populated areas or occurred at greater depths.
Search and rescue operations continue uninterrupted, while authorities warn that the toll of victims and missing persons may change in the coming hours and days, as many areas still remain inaccessible.
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