Venezuela earthquake: shoddy construction killed more than the quake
The double earthquake in Venezuela (7.2 and 7.5) left buildings collapsed. An analysis claims 95% of deaths were due to poor construction. Is it credible?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Venezuela earthquake: did people die from the quake or from the construction?
The double earthquake of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that shook Venezuela has left a trail of collapsed buildings and a death toll that, according to a technical analysis shared on social media, could have been reduced by more than 95% if the country had the same seismic enforcement as Japan. The estimate puts the death toll at fewer than 50.
But the counterfactual is debatable: the quake was a double event within seconds, and other factors such as population density, the time of day and rescue capacity also matter. What nobody disputes is that the images show collapsed pillars and floors falling on top of one another, a sign of low-quality concrete and slabs. Some point to builders and developers, others to the lack of regulations and oversight.
The comparison with Japan is inevitable: there, earthquakes happen daily and buildings incorporate seismic dampers. Here, housing became a tomb. Earthquakes know nothing about ideology, but infrastructure does. And when a building collapses like a house of cards, the question is no longer whether the ground shook, but who looked the other way.
The double earthquake of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that shook Venezuela has left a trail of collapsed buildings and a death toll that, according to a technical analysis shared on social media, could have been reduced by more than 95% if the country had the same seismic enforcement as Japan. The estimate puts the death toll at fewer than 50.
But the counterfactual is debatable: the quake was a double event within seconds, and other factors such as population density, the time of day and rescue capacity also matter. What nobody disputes is that the images show collapsed pillars and floors falling on top of one another, a sign of low-quality concrete and slabs. Some point to builders and developers, others to the lack of regulations and oversight.
The comparison with Japan is inevitable: there, earthquakes happen daily and buildings incorporate seismic dampers. Here, housing became a tomb. Earthquakes know nothing about ideology, but infrastructure does. And when a building collapses like a house of cards, the question is no longer whether the ground shook, but who looked the other way.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (32 replies).
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