The apartment building in Caracas that serves as the residence of Venezuela's Ambassador to Antigua and Barbuda, Carmen Velasquez, was among the structures damaged after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, according to Antigua.news.
Photographs of the building show significant structural damage, including large cracks on the exterior walls, the collapse of several balconies, and debris scattered near the entrance. Ambassador Velasquez has not indicated whether her apartment itself sustained damage or whether she was present at the time of the earthquakes.
The South American nation was struck shortly after 6 p.m. by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, followed less than a minute later by a second, even stronger tremor measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. The back-to-back quakes triggered widespread destruction and prompted a massive emergency response operation across several parts of the country.
In an address to the nation early Thursday, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez revealed that at least 188 people had been killed and 1,520 others injured. Authorities also reported that 157 people remain missing and more than 200 individuals are believed to be trapped beneath collapsed structures.
Rodriguez said the earthquakes damaged approximately 250 buildings, primarily in La Guaira State, and triggered at least 138 aftershocks. The disaster also forced the evacuation of eight hospitals and 20 shopping centres, while an estimated 346 infrastructure projects sustained damage. Officials further reported that at least 2,927 families have been affected.
Rodriguez said specialised rescue teams from several countries are expected to arrive in Venezuela to assist local authorities with search-and-rescue operations and humanitarian relief efforts, as the country confronts one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent years.
