Venezuela Earthquakes: Why Buildings Fell

Tulsa News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 27, 2026 · 1m

Venezuela’s recent earthquake catastrophe has left over 900 dead and entire neighborhoods in ruins, exposing a terrifying flaw in the nation’s infrastructure. Decades-old buildings, many erected before modern seismic standards existed, crumbled under the strain — some even constructed during oil booms with shortcuts and weak materials. Soft soils amplified the shaking, while “soft story” designs left ground floors like open garages, turning whole structures into death traps. Compounding the disaster, back-to-back quakes hit with brutal force, and even newer buildings — supposedly up to code —…