‘Earth still shaking’: Venezuela faces ongoing aftershock after twin earthquakes | Expert explains dire situation

The search for survivors in Venezuela entered its third day on Saturday, with rescue teams and residents racing against time to locate people trapped beneath the rubble after powerful 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes devastated parts of the country, as reported by AP.

In La Guaira, one of the worst-affected states, international rescue crews, local volunteers, and families searching for missing loved ones used shovels, heavy machinery, ropes, and even their bare hands to clear collapsed homes and apartment buildings. Humanitarian agencies say the first 48 to 72 hours after a disaster are the most critical for finding survivors, although chances improve if those trapped have access to food and water, AP reported.

The death toll from Wednesday's twin earthquakes rose to at least 920 by Friday, while more than 51,000 people remained missing. Residents in the hardest-hit areas said they had seen limited presence of government rescue teams, despite official claims of a large-scale emergency response.

Twin earthquakes

According to a report by Le Monde, Feliciano De Santis, president of the Venezuelan Geological Society and a professor of geothermal studies at the Central University of Venezuela, spent 12 years as a researcher at the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (FUNVISIS).

De Santis told Le Monde that the occurrence of two powerful earthquakes within a short span is an uncommon phenomenon. He noted that Wednesday's twin quakes resemble the devastating 1902 earthquake. Although seismic instruments were not available at the time, historical accounts and the extent of the destruction suggest that the 1902 event was also caused by a seismic doublet.

“A century apart, the epicenters were in the same region. The fault there is very linear, which means a rupture in one segment can trigger another, with nothing to stop it. But, as I said, we still lack data,” Feliciano De Santis added.

Asked why the US Geological Survey (USGS) provided details on the twin earthquakes, including their epicentres and depth, despite Venezuela's own monitoring capabilities, De Santis pointed to the country's seismic history.

He explained that Venezuela's first seismograph was supplied by the United States during the Cold War to help monitor potential nuclear explosions. Following the 1967 earthquake, Venezuelan authorities established the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (FUNVISIS), which now operates a nationwide network of seismographs and accelerographs.

“FUNVISIS confirmed the data provided by the USGS and should soon release the accelerograms – which are crucial to clarify what happened and to confirm whether the waves from the two earthquakes overlapped and amplified each other. That could explain the strength of the shaking in Caracas and La Guaira. As I'm speaking to you now, I feel it shaking again,” he told Le Monde.

Aftershocks possible?

When asked whether there is a high risk of aftershocks, De Santis said yes. He noted that the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (FUNVISIS) has recorded more than 190 aftershocks since Wednesday. While most have been imperceptible, some have been felt.

Like earthquakes, aftershocks are unpredictable. It's possible that the amount of energy released on Wednesday – equivalent to 20 to 30 atomic bombs – will limit the scale of upcoming aftershocks. But, based on my long experience, I would say that two strong aftershocks of magnitude 5 are likely, De Santis told Le Monde.

According to a report by AP, acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on state television on Saturday that more than 14,000 military personnel and police officers had been deployed to patrol the affected area. She added that access has been restricted, with entry now permitted only through special authorisation.

Rescue teams sent by governments across the world continued to arrive in Venezuela on Saturday. One runway at heavily damaged Simón Bolívar International Airport, which serves Venezuela’s capital, was operational as of Saturday, according to a senior U.S. official who insisted on anonymity to brief reporters, AP reported.

Anxious families wait to see if relatives survived

In La Guaira state, just north of the capital Caracas, Nazareth Jiménez broke down in tears on Friday as she watched neighbours use hammers and power tools to cut through massive slabs of concrete at the site of a collapsed building. Overcome with anxiety, she waited for any sign that her siblings, nephews, nieces and friends trapped beneath the rubble might still be alive.

“My God, how are we going to get them out of there?” Jiménez murmured.

“We're making a call for help to the government and countries across the world,” she said, pleading for machinery capable of moving collapsed structures, as reported by AP. “There are still people alive in there.”

Government forces distributed food and water to survivors in La Guaira, and Rodríguez said her government was mounting a full response during these “critical hours for rescuing people alive.”

The disaster presents a major test for Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed office in January after former President Nicolás Maduro was captured and removed by the United States. The country has been grappling with a prolonged economic crisis for more than a decade, while Rodríguez's political movement continues to face questions over its legitimacy from many Venezuelans.

(With inputs from agencies)