Buildings that fell in Venezuela earthquake: construction flaws exposed

Twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck Venezuela last June brought down 15 government housing blocks in the coastal town of Caraballeda. An analysis by an international news agency has found serious flaws in the construction of those buildings.

Ailin Quiroz, who went to the coast the day after the quake to search for her sister, found only a pile of rubble where the 13-storey building she lived in had stood. No trace has been found of her sister or six other relatives.

Analysis of videos and photographs taken during construction revealed building code violations at five complexes, including steel reinforcement bars not properly fitted. Photographs show bars bent at only 90 degrees where 2006 building regulations required a 135-degree bend.

"This is exactly how an improperly tied concrete building collapses," explained structural engineer Kit Miyamoto. Deep corrosion of metal supports was also found at three complexes, which experts say is a sign of substandard concrete.

Satellite images show that 63 per cent of the town's high-rise buildings collapsed. The government has yet to release the full death toll, and it is feared thousands of residents may have died.

The buildings, started in 2011 by then president Hugo Chavez, were completed within a single year. The Venezuelan government did not respond to requests for comment on the flaws.