Two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 hit Venezuela on Wednesday night, killing at least 235 people and injuring over 4,000. The “doublet” earthquake left behind a trail of damage – collapsed buildings, crumbled roofs and piles of debris with people buried under the rubble. Rescue operations are still underway.
High-resolution satellite imagery sourced from Vantor confirms the widespread structural damage caused by the two deadly earthquakes. Destruction can be seen across La Guaira, north of Caracas, with dozens of high-rise apartment buildings collapsed in the Playa Grande neighborhood north of the Simon Bolivar Airport.
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The before and after satellite images also show the damage suffered by many stores, industrial buildings and other structures in the city.
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The above before and after image of apartment buildings in Playa Grande, La Guaira, taken 10 days apart, shows the city covered in dust following the destruction. While some establishments managed to withstand the devastating earthquakes, many seem to have fallen flat. A white building at the corner of a road appears to have fallen like a house of cards. At least five more structures next to it have been reduced to dust.
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Before and after images of the collapsed Residencia Nautilus and damaged shipping container lot in Avenida La Playa, La Guaira. The image taken on May 8 shows docked shipping containers. Nearly two months later, on June 25, several adjacent buildings had collapsed.
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Similarly, warehouse buildings in the industrial area of La Guaira were reduced to dust. All that remained was debris, including steel rods used in their construction.
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An apartment complex in La Guaira also suffered significant damage. In an image taken on May 8, rows of houses with black roofs constructed next to each other are seen. After the earthquake, half of the houses either crumbled or tilted.
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Another visual of apartment buildings in La Guaira also shows disintegrated houses.
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How an earthquake can literally shake buildings is clearly seen in this comparative image taken on June 22 and 25. The buildings that stood tall until three days ago are now nowhere to be seen. All that remains is a heap of dust.
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An earthquake of magnitude 7.2, with an epicenter west of the community of Moron, about 168 kilometers west of Caracas, hit the South American nation first. Another earthquake of magnitude 7.5 hit 39 seconds later.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) defined the two earthquakes as a “foreshock” and “mainshock.”
“This earthquake was the first event in a doublet, this magnitude 7.2 foreshock was followed just 39 seconds later by a larger 7.5 mainshock,” the USGS said.
Powerful aftershocks could still be felt Thursday.
