International movers in Venezuela are assessing the impact of two large-magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday, which caused multiple deaths and casualties and disrupted transport across the country.
The back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, killed at least 164 people and injured more than 700, according to the country’s transitional government. The worst-hit area was La Guaira, north of Caracas, where many buildings collapsed. Many residents have moved into temporary shelters or tents for safety, as several aftershocks have been recorded.
Businesses have reported significant disruption to their operations, as authorities carry out safety assessments and restrict access to affected areas of the country.
FIDI Affiliate MI Global Venezuela said in an update that all its staff and facilities are safe but the company has implemented temporary changes in its operations.
‘Due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding the scale of the damage, our team has transitioned to remote work,’ said the company’s Zenaida Romero in a message to clients. ‘You may experience minor delays in our responses, but we continue to manage all operations,’ She added that the company will keep stakeholders informed of developments – and that key staff could be reached on their mobiles.
Affiliate JJ Marí Intl Movers also said its staff are safe, but that field operations are on hold. Executive Director Iramar Alemán said: ‘We are pleased to inform you that the entire JJ Marí team is currently safe. As communications permit, we are working remotely.
‘We are evaluating conditions over the next few hours to determine when we can safely resume field operations, contingent upon authorisation from the local authorities. If necessary, we will work this coming Saturday to ensure we meet our scheduled programme. We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.’
We will bring you further updates from FIDI Affiliates as we receive them.
Note: the figures in this story were current as of 12.30 BST on Thursday, 25 June