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Engineers and construction experts have raised concerns over poor construction practices, weak enforcement of building regulations and unstable ground conditions following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela that killed at least 1,719 people. They have urged the government to immediately inspect public housing projects that remain standing to prevent further risks. While authorities have announced a commission to evaluate damaged buildings, experts say delayed assessments and long-standing issues in construction quality, maintenance and regulatory oversight may have worsened the disaster's impact.
The recent earthquakes in Venezuela have raised fresh concerns over the safety of public housing, with engineers warning that poor construction practices, weak enforcement of building regulations and unstable soil conditions may have contributed to the large-scale destruction. They are urging authorities to immediately inspect similar housing complexes that remain occupied.
Among the worst-hit sites was the 1,100-unit Los Cocos housing complex in La Guaira, built under former President Hugo Chávez's social housing programme after the deadly 1999 floods. Large sections of the complex collapsed after the back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.
Resident Yelsa Rojas said she lost her apartment and believed many residents on the second floor had died. She survived because she was away at a medical appointment when the earthquakes struck.
Experts said it is too early to determine the exact cause of every collapse, but decades of poor maintenance, weak code enforcement and inadequate licensing practices under the governments of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro likely increased the disaster's impact. They also highlighted La Guaira's soft, unstable soil, which can amplify earthquake shaking.
Engineering groups have offered to help inspect damaged buildings, but assessments had not begun, drawing criticism from professionals. Architect Enrique Larrañaga said authorities should have accepted support from engineers and universities much sooner. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez later announced a commission to evaluate damaged housing, although no timeline was provided.
The government's response has also faced criticism, with residents saying heavy machinery and specialised rescue teams arrived only after several days, leaving communities to search for survivors with basic tools. By the weekend, heavy equipment had been deployed, while residents said foreign rescue teams had assisted recovery efforts.
Volunteer engineers conducting preliminary inspections said early findings suggested construction standards may not have been properly followed. They stressed that detailed studies are needed to determine why some buildings survived while others completely collapsed.
Engineers also pointed to La Guaira's history of natural disasters. Following the devastating 1999 mudslides, Venezuela updated its construction codes, but experts said enforcement has remained weak. They noted that loose soil in the region increases earthquake intensity, making strict adherence to building standards essential.
Officials said the earthquakes have killed at least 1,719 people, injured 5,034 and left 15,866 homeless, while citizen-led efforts have registered nearly 50,000 missing persons.
Experts also questioned the quality of Venezuela's large-scale public housing programme launched before the 2012 elections and continued under President Maduro. They said limited oversight, weak quality control and construction in geologically vulnerable areas have been reported for years, with independent investigations documenting structural defects, including cracks and leaks, in several housing projects.
Source Reuters
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