Portugal activates emergency support for citizens caught up in Venezuela earthquakes

Portugal has activated emergency assistance for its citizens in Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck the country yesterday evening, killing at least 32 people (this has since been updated to 164), injuring more than 700 and leaving widespread damage across the capital, Caracas.

The Portuguese consulates in Caracas and Valencia have issued emergency telephone numbers and email contacts for nationals requiring urgent assistance, while confirming they are closely monitoring the situation.

“The Consulate-General of Portugal in Caracas is following the situation closely and remains attentive to any emergency,” the diplomatic mission said in a statement published on social media.

The move comes as members of Venezuela’s sizeable Portuguese community recounted scenes of panic after two earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.1 and 7.5 struck just 39 seconds apart early yesterday evening, sending thousands of residents fleeing into the streets.

“We’re trying to stop trembling from the fright,” one Portuguese businessman in Caracas told Lusa news agency. “It was an intense, very strong earthquake that seemed as though it would never end. We’re still worried about possible aftershocks.”

José Gonçalves, who was at home in the La Campiña district of Caracas when the quake struck, said it was the strongest earthquake he had ever experienced.

“First the sofa started shaking, then the whole apartment. Soon afterwards we lost electricity,” he said. “The vases and everything on top of the furniture crashed onto the floor and shattered. My body is still shaking from fear.”

Communications were severely disrupted after the earthquakes, with power outages reported across parts of Caracas, internet services interrupted, telephone networks affected and mobile operator Movistar temporarily losing service.

Despite the disruption, Portuguese residents also reported strong tremors in Valencia, around 150 kilometres west of Caracas, and in Higuerote, east of the capital.

Matilde Freitas said several aftershocks were felt in Higuerote, where power and telephone services also failed. “Many people left their buildings in tears because they were so frightened,” she said.

Venezuelan resident Juan Carlos Garcia Pérez described watching television when his bed suddenly began to shake.

“I looked out of the window and could see other buildings moving,” he said. “I didn’t know whether to stay where I was or run down into the street.”

According to Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, at least 32 people have died and more than 700 have been treated for injuries in public hospitals and private medical centres.

Rodríguez said the northern coastal state of La Guaira, close to Caracas, was the worst affected and has been declared a disaster zone.

The earthquakes, centred near Morón about 200 kilometres east of Caracas, were shallow at a depth of around 13 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), increasing their destructive impact*. The tremors were felt across much of Venezuela and as far away as Bogotá, Colombia, although Colombian authorities said there was no tsunami risk for the Caribbean coast.

Portugal’s consulates have urged nationals needing urgent assistance to contact the Consulate-General in Caracas on +58 414-466-5350 or by email at [email protected], while those in the Valencia region can contact +58 412-040-5565 or [email protected].

Meantime, messages of solidarity with Venezuela have been pouring in from all quarters, with President Seguro among those that quickly responded, describing his ‘profound consternation’, and adding that he will be following developments closely.

The majority of Portuguese living in Venezuela have their roots in the island of Madeira, and for this reason political parties of the archipelago have all been sending messages of concern and hope for people’s safety.

PSD Madeira MP Carlos Fernandes has already told SIC Notícias that, as far as he can make out from the contacts he has had with family members in Venezuela, there are “several Portuguese still missing”.

As the situation develops on the ground, the prime minister has already said Portugal is ready to send emergency and humanitarian support (at yet not specified, but this will change through the course of the day).

*The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has described the situation as “a catastrophe of considerable magnitude”. Its technology has already come up with a ‘model’ on possible loss of life, pointing to anything from 10,000 to 100,000 people. None of this has been seen to have translated on the ground, as yet.

Source: SIC Notícias/ LUSA