Some Angelenos with family and friends in Venezuela have been anxiously waiting for updates from their loved ones after powerful back-to-back earthquakes rocked the country on Wednesday evening.
Rescue crews in Venezuela were racing to reach survivors trapped in damaged buildings after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck, causing widespread destruction.
Yesika Baker, the owner of Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine in Pasadena, has family in Venezuela and says it’s been difficult to watch the heartbreaking images coming out of her home country.
“When you are outside your country, it’s very tough because you have so many friends and family there, and they live in separate cities or different places,” Baker said. “They’re keeping in safe in this part, was horrible. It’s going to be tough.”
Baker and her mother have been trying to contact their loved ones, but it hasn’t been easy because power outages and damaged infrastructure have disrupted communications across the country.
“It’s when you realize, ‘Oh my God, there is so many people that you can’t contact them,'” Baker said. “Right now, everybody is trying to call and text and email.”
As they wait to hear from friends and family, they’re concerned about the extent of the damage and the potential number of casualties and injuries. At least 32 people are dead and 700 are injured as of early Thursday, but that toll was expected to rise, according to Acting Venezuela President Delcy Rodríguez.
“This is close enough to Caracas that the USGS estimate of probable losses is extremely high, with the most likely that the casualty count exceeds 10,000 people,” Caltech seismologist Lucy Jones said in a Zoom interview. “This is one of the really great, very difficult, very damaging earthquakes because you combined a very large event with residences of a lot of people.”
Passengers experienced tense moments at Maiquetía International Airport, which serves Caracas, during the powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Thousands of miles away, in Pasadena, Baker says her focus Wednesday night was on Venezuela and what she can do to support those affected by the earthquakes.
“We try to help Venezuelans that are in there, so I know that it’s going to happen. We are going to be union again and try to help our country,” Baker said.
Given the magnitude of the rescue operation in Venezuela, search and rescue teams are standing by in Los Angeles County, ready to be deployed if needed.