Dramatic forecasts have been issued by Euthymios Lekkas, President of Greece’s Organization for Seismic Protection (OASP), regarding the death toll from the recent earthquake in Venezuela. Speaking to ERT, Lekkas did not rule out the possibility that fatalities could reach as high as 100,000. He also warned that a powerful aftershock—potentially measuring 6.5 to 6.6 on the Richter scale—could strike within the next week.
High Fatality Estimate Based on Multiple Factors
‘Based on the magnitude of the main shock, local geology and tectonics, population density, and building quality, we unfortunately consider it plausible that the death toll may range between 10,000 and 100,000,’ Lekkas stated.
No Link to Greece, OASP Confirms
Lekkas emphasized there is no connection between this seismic event and Greece, calling claims of any impact on Greek territory ‘completely unfounded.’ He stressed that Greece and Venezuela lie in entirely different tectonic environments. ‘There is absolutely no scenario under which conditions in Greece could be affected by this earthquake,’ he said.
Severe Damage Reported, Access Remains Limited
According to Lekkas, Caracas International Airport has suffered extensive damage, as its runway lies directly atop the earthquake’s fault rupture. However, due to extremely difficult access, detailed assessments of the region’s seismic-tectonic setting and structural integrity remain incomplete.
Aftershock Risk and Potential Shift in Seismic Activity
He added that a major aftershock of magnitude 6.5–6.6 is theoretically expected. ‘The double seismic pulse complicates forecasting—but I consider it highly likely that such a strong aftershock will occur in already-hit areas within the coming week.’ Already weakened buildings risk further collapse, and Lekkas noted that seismic activity may shift southwestward, toward regions bordering Colombia and the broader Bogotá area.
Nationwide Seismic Screening Completed in Greece
In parallel, Lekkas highlighted progress on Greece’s national pre-seismic inspection program. For the first time, primary inspections have been completed for all public buildings across the country. ‘No public building remains unexamined,’ he confirmed. ‘Within two years, we inspected approximately 27,000 public buildings—totaling some 44,000 structurally independent constructions nationwide.’