Spurred by back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.5 and 7.2 on the Richter scale, Venezuela experienced moments of fear and anxiety—moments vividly described to newsit.gr by Spyros Chatzikonstantis, an 89-year-old Greek resident of Caracas. As president of the Greek community in Venezuela and spiritual leader of the Greek diaspora there, he experienced the powerful tremors firsthand—and called it the strongest earthquake he’s ever felt in his lifetime.
Widespread disruption, but limited damage
According to Chatzikonstantis, the shaking began around 6:30 p.m. local time. ‘This is the first time in my life—I’m 89—that I’ve felt such a quake,’ he said. ‘I’ve lived through others before, but this one was terrifying.’ Power was cut off preventively across much of the capital to avoid electrical short circuits, causing temporary disruptions to water supply as well. ‘The lights went out, and after two hours, electricity was restored. When power goes, water does too—but service was soon reinstated.’
Sturdy buildings spared major damage
Despite the quakes’ intensity, Chatzikonstantis noted that no major destruction occurred in his area. He attributed this to strict seismic building codes adopted after earlier devastating earthquakes. ‘The houses where I live were completely unaffected. Buildings in Venezuela are constructed very well—built to high anti-seismic standards following past major quakes. We’re certainly frightened, but structures don’t collapse easily. I don’t believe many buildings have collapsed.’
Diaspora reports reassuring
Chatzikonstantis also dismissed exaggerated reports circulating about thousands of fatalities. ‘I heard from Greece that they’re talking about thousands dead—but that’s simply not true,’ he stressed. ‘As president of the Greek community in Venezuela, I’ve spoken with every Greek living here. Everyone is safe and well.’