SANTO DOMINGO.- Venezuelan businessman Mariano Briceño, founder of Grupo Bricket, referred to the earthquakes that occurred on Wednesday the 24th in Venezuela as a "natural tragedy of gigantic dimensions" and assured that it is the strongest seismic event recorded in the country in the last 126 years, according to the seismotectonic analysis of the USGS.
According to the report cited by the businessman, the phenomenon is comparable to the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that occurred in October 1900 in the Caribbean region.
Two consecutive earthquakes
Briceño pointed out that one of the peculiarities of the event was the occurrence of two earthquakes in succession, something he considered unusual in this type of phenomenon.
“That made it last a long time and, of course, affected the buildings, especially the long-standing buildings that were built a long time ago,” he explained.
He indicated that the oldest structures were the most impacted, especially in Caracas and the Caracas coastline.
Impact on old buildings
The businessman stated that the oldest buildings were the most vulnerable to the intensity of the seismic movement.
"Unfortunately, it was in the Caracas area and the coastal area of Caracas," he said, referring to the most affected areas.
Engineering and construction in Venezuela
Briceño highlighted that Venezuela has an engineering and construction system that he described as being of a high level.
“In Venezuela, there is a whole range of top-quality earthquake-resistant structures. Venezuelan construction and engineering are on par with the best in the world,” he stated.
He added that this is evident in real estate developments and in existing residential, industrial, tourist and infrastructure buildings in the country.
Technical and regulatory training
The businessman highlighted the role of universities and training centers in preparing engineers in the country.
“Venezuelan engineering is top-notch, where even schools and universities serve as institutions for people to pursue degree studies and professional development,” he said.
He also mentioned the existence of earthquake-resistant technical standards such as COVENIN 1756, updated over time based on historical seismic events.
Natural phenomena and limitations
Briceño indicated that natural phenomena cannot always be detected or accurately measured in terms of their damage.
“As is the case in many parts of the world, not all natural phenomena can be detected in time, and even if detected, we cannot measure the extent of the damage they may cause,” he concluded.
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