Strong earthquakes in Venezuela trigger evacuations in northern Brazil

(CNA, Sao Paulo, June 25) Two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes exceeding 7 struck Venezuela on the evening of the 24th, causing multiple buildings to collapse in the capital Caracas and tremors felt in neighboring countries. The seismic waves reached northern Brazil, with significant shaking reported in several cities in the states of Amazonas and Para, leading to emergency evacuations of some buildings. Fortunately, no major damage has been reported.

According to reports from CNN Brazil and other media, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that an initial tremor of magnitude 7.2 was followed by a mainshock of magnitude 7.5 just 39 seconds later, with the epicenter located off the northern coast of Venezuela. Experts warned of the potential for "significant casualties and widespread damage." Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated that multiple buildings had collapsed in Caracas and rescue teams were actively searching.

The areas in Brazil that felt the tremors most strongly included Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, and Belem, the capital of Para state. Residents described on social media "continuous building shaking, chandeliers and furniture vibrating," with many fleeing to the streets in panic.

The Belem municipal government announced that several buildings in the city were temporarily evacuated for safety reasons, and the fire department and disaster prevention units were conducting structural inspections. In Santarem, at least five buildings experienced tremors, and residents were briefly evacuated.

The Amazonas state disaster prevention unit reported that the seismic motion was a "long-distance reflected wave" and that no structural damage or casualties had been observed so far, but monitoring has been intensified. Experts explained that due to the shallow focal depth of only about 13 kilometers, the energy propagated to neighboring countries, causing significant tremors in northern Brazil.

The earthquakes occurred during Brazil's group stage matches in the World Cup, with some people feeling the shaking while watching the games, leading to temporary confusion. Local authorities urged residents to remain calm and follow the instructions of disaster prevention units.

The earthquakes in Venezuela highlight the high risk along the northern plate boundary of South America. Brazilian seismologists reminded that although seismic activity in Brazil itself is relatively rare, strong earthquakes in neighboring countries can still have ripple effects. It is necessary to continue strengthening disaster prevention education and building safety inspections in the future to reduce potential risks. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150625

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