Prince Albert II has expressed his sorrow and solidarity with the people of Venezuela following two violent earthquakes that struck Caracas on Wednesday evening, killing more than 200 people and injuring thousands more, in an official statement released by the Palace on Thursday.
“Princess Charlene and I learnt with profound emotion of the occurrence of two violent earthquakes which successively struck the west of Caracas yesterday, causing cruel loss of life and leaving many injured,” the Prince said in the statement. “My Family and the Monegasque people join me in offering the Venezuelan people our most sincere condolences and our entire solidarity in the face of this tragedy. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and the injured, to whom we express our profound compassion in these painful moments.”
Two powerful quakes, 39 seconds apart
The disaster struck shortly after 6pm local time on Wednesday, when a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit north-western Venezuela, followed just 39 seconds later by a far stronger magnitude 7.5 quake centred nearby, according to the United States Geological Survey. Both earthquakes were classified as strike-slip events, with epicentres in the Veroes municipality of Yaracuy state. The stronger of the two is the most powerful to strike Venezuela in more than a century, surpassed only by a 1900 quake of similar magnitude.
Venezuela’s Health Minister, Carlos Alvarado, said on Thursday that at least 235 people had died and more than 4,300 had been injured, with figures expected to rise further as search-and-rescue operations continue. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said 157 people remained reported missing, while more than 200 people were believed to remain trapped beneath the rubble of around 250 collapsed or damaged buildings.
La Guaira declared a disaster zone
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, saying several states had sustained heavy damage, with the coastal state of La Guaira hit hardest. A United Nations humanitarian agency reported more than 100 buildings had collapsed in La Guaira alone. Satellite images of the area showed extensive structural damage across residential neighbourhoods, hotels and warehouses, with some images also showing evidence of fire damage.
Footage from Caracas showed apartment and commercial buildings reduced to rubble, with residents gathering in the streets in shock as emergency crews searched for survivors. Tremors from the earthquakes were felt as far afield as Bogotá, northern Brazil and several Caribbean islands, including Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
International aid mobilises
The United States pledged assistance, alongside humanitarian organisations and several other countries, including China, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Specialist search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County were deployed to Venezuela, while Mexico sent rescuers and health personnel from its defence ministry.
The disaster has prompted an outpouring of condolences from leaders around the world, with Prince Albert II’s statement adding Monaco’s voice to those expressing solidarity with Venezuela as the country begins what is expected to be a long and difficult recovery effort.
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Photo of Caracus before the earthquakes. Credit: Bona Lee, Unsplash