On the ground, engineers assess damage in the earthquake zone in Venezuela

More than two weeks after two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela, engineers have been working on the difficult task of assessing damage to buildings and structures so rebuilding and restoration efforts can begin. The 7.4 and 7.2 magnitude quakes damaged buildings, closed the country’s main international airport, and killed at least 3,889 people as of July 10, injuring more than 18,000 others.

As search and rescue operations declined, the focus shifted to providing adequate housing for the many thousands of people displaced by the earthquakes. Miyamoto Relief, the nonprofit arm of Los Angeles-based disaster response firm Miyamoto International, sent its Mexico City-based team to Venezuela in the days after the quakes.

Led by Jesús Valdez, chief engineer and CEO of the company’s Mexico office, the team spent more than a week visiting the hardest-hit areas of Venezuela, from the capital, Caracas, to cities and towns along the northern coast. Valdez spoke with ENR after returning to Mexico earlier this week. His statements have been edited slightly for clarity.

ENR: How much damage do you see in Venezuela from the earthquake? Does it align with what you and your team expected to find?

Valdez: Widespread damage throughout the affected area, especially in… [the northern state of] La Guaira where strong earthquakes were combined with weak building stock and soft soil conditions. We have observed a wide range of damage, from non-structural failures to partial and complete building collapses. Critical infrastructure, residential buildings, schools and commercial facilities have been affected to varying degrees.

Overall, the damage is largely consistent with what we would expect following an earthquake of this magnitude. However, the extent of damage in some urban areas appears to have been magnified by pre-existing vulnerabilities, including adverse soil conditions, older buildings, inadequate maintenance, and structures that were not originally designed or detailed to withstand significant seismic forces.

Miyamoto International Engineer Jesús Valdez at the site of a collapsed building in Venezuela. Image courtesy of Miyamoto International Corporation What towns and cities have you visited? Are there any areas particularly affected?

Our work has focused primarily on Caracas and Chacao and mainly in different locations of La Guaira. These areas experienced different levels of impact depending on local site conditions, building characteristics, and proximity to the strongest tremors.

Some municipalities experienced concentrated damage where weak buildings were located on soft soil or where older structures dominated. At this stage, our priority was to support local authorities by identifying the most important structures that required detailed assessment.

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What is Miyamoto International’s role on the ground? What government agencies or NGOs do you work with, and who coordinates the response efforts in which you are involved?

With support from the US Department of State, Miyamoto International provides technical engineering support focused on post-earthquake structural assessments, technical advice, and coordination with emergency response partners. Our role is to help determine whether affected buildings are safe for occupancy, require restricted access, or should be evacuated until further assessment is completed.

We are working alongside Venezuelan authorities, emergency management organizations, engineers and humanitarian partners. The response involves close coordination between national institutions, local governments and international organizations.

Search and rescue teams are combing damaged buildings for signs of life. Photo courtesy of Miyamoto International With search and rescue efforts largely concluded, has work turned to engineering assessments of buildings yet?

Yes. As search and rescue activities move toward completion, engineering assessments become one of the highest priorities. Engineers are now evaluating buildings to determine their structural condition and whether they can continue to be safely occupied.

These assessments are necessary because many of the buildings still standing may still have significant structural damage that cannot be immediately seen. Accurate assessments help authorities prioritize reforms, manage public safety and support the recovery process.

Is there a common characteristic among the buildings and structures that show the greatest amount of damage from an earthquake? Are there any particular types of construction, or eras of buildings that were severely damaged?

Many of the most affected buildings share common characteristics. Older reinforced concrete buildings designed under outdated seismic provisions, structures with poor detailing, soft storey configurations, irregular structural layouts, or inadequate maintenance generally performed less favorably.

Buildings that have experienced changes in occupancy or modifications over time without proper structural assessment also appear to be more at risk. Each building must be evaluated individually, but these recurring characteristics are common among severely damaged buildings.

According to Valdez, newer buildings constructed according to modern seismic design principles fared better than older buildings. Image courtesy of Miyamoto International Have you seen the performance of any modern buildings built to modern seismic codes? Is there a big difference from the old structures?

In general, buildings designed and constructed to newer seismic design standards performed much better. While some buildings sustained non-structural damage or local structural repairs may be required, many modern buildings have maintained their overall structural integrity, especially in Caracas.

This highlights the value of modern seismic codes, high-quality construction practices, and proper inspection during construction. Good engineering cannot eliminate damage from a major earthquake, but it can significantly reduce the probability of a catastrophic collapse and loss of life.

An 11-storey beachfront apartment tower on the northern Venezuelan coast was still standing, but had suffered major structural damage, as seen in this close-up of the lower levels of its destroyed staircase. Image courtesy of Miyamoto International. One concern is that many buildings in Venezuela that were expanded or modified without proper engineering were at risk. Did you see any sign of this problem?

Yes. We have observed some cases where buildings appear to have undergone alterations, additions or changes in use which may not have included a comprehensive structural assessment. Such modifications can inadvertently change the way a building responds during an earthquake by increasing weight, removing structural elements, or changing load paths.

Although each case requires detailed investigation, non-engineering modifications are recognized worldwide as an important contributor to increased seismic risk.

What did you see about the displaced and displaced people due to the earthquake? Is there an effort to provide temporary housing for them? Have you encountered people trying to survive in damaged and structurally unsafe buildings?

What I saw was that many people were living in tents and on the streets and were reluctant to return home. They are deeply concerned about the safety of their homes, especially if the buildings are damaged, and many are also concerned about the risk of theft. I don’t know anything about transitional housing efforts yet.

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