A video recorded by a citizen shows the interior of a building in Venezuela that suffered severe damage after an earthquake. The images reveal cracked walls, debris, and unstable floors. For the public, this is a warning sign: many homes and buildings could collapse at any moment. The safety of families is at stake, and so are their wallets, as repairing or abandoning a home involves a cost that is difficult to bear. It is urgent to review the structures to prevent further tragedies.
Seismic sensors and apps: technology to detect cracks 🏗️
Current technology allows monitoring the integrity of buildings using vibration and crack sensors. These devices, connected to digital platforms, send real-time alerts about structural changes. There are also mobile applications that guide users to perform basic visual inspections, such as identifying crack patterns or uneven floors. In active seismic zones, these tools are useful for preventing collapses. However, in Venezuela, their adoption is scarce, and most properties lack a system for periodic technical evaluation.
The staircase you go down, unsure if you'll come back up 🚨
The video shows a man descending stairs that look more like an obstacle course than a safe access. The cracked walls and loose floors turn the descent into a kind of lottery: you'll reach the bottom without everything collapsing. Some neighbors comment that they now go down the stairs with the same faith they have when buying a shaved ice from the corner stand: they know it's risky, but they do it anyway. Of course, no one has thought of installing a safety net, because in Venezuela, the net most used is the cell phone one to record videos.