Today, NewsForKids.net looks at the impact of earthquakes in Venezuela and at rising temperatures around the world. Rescue workers are racing to help people after two powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela. And record-breaking heat is affecting millions of people across three different continents.
Racing to Rescue After Venezuela’s Deadly Earthquakes
Venezuela was hit by two powerful earthquakes last Wednesday. These quakes were the strongest to strike the country since 1900. The first quake had a magnitude of 7.2. Just 39 seconds later, an even stronger one hit with a magnitude of 7.5.
These two quakes happened close together and at a shallow depth in the earth, which made them more dangerous. The shaking was felt more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away.
(Source: [Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)
The damage was severe. Many homes there were made of adobe or brick, which break easily during quakes. In some areas, even 10-story buildings fell down.
Jorge Rodríguez, who leads Venezuela’s National Assembly, reported that over 1,450 people had died and more than 3,100 were injured. Many, many more are still missing. Around 774 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and roughly 12,700 people have lost their homes.
Rescue workers from over 24 countries have rushed to help. They’ve used flashlights and large digging machines to find people trapped in the rubble. Over 275 people had been rescued by Saturday, but the search has become more difficult as time has gone on.
😕
This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.
Rescue workers from over 24 countries have rushed to help, using flashlights and digging machines to find people trapped in the rubble. Over 275 people have been rescued. Above, rescue workers from El Salvador search for injured people near a collapsed building last Friday in La Guaira, Venezuela.
Venezuela has struggled greatly in recent years, and there’s not enough money to keep public services running well. The earthquakes have damaged at least 13 hospitals, leaving the medical system in even worse shape. Some hospitals have had to set up emergency medical areas outside, and at least one hospital doesn’t have running water.
The United Nations aid agency UNICEF says 1.8 million people, including many children, now need emergency aid to survive.
Extreme Heat Around the World
Temperature records are being broken as extreme heat hits places around the world. Europe, the United States, and South Asia, are all facing a dangerous heat crisis.
😕
This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.
Europe is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. Last week, France and the UK set new temperature records. The heat is now moving over Eastern Europe, bringing high temperatures to places like Poland. Above, a sign showing a temperature of 40ºC (104ºF) in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday.
In Europe, which is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, France had its two hottest days ever last week. In the United Kingdom (UK), temperatures hit 97º Fahrenheit (F) (36.1º Celsius (C)) on June 24, setting a record for June. The heat is now moving over Eastern Europe, bringing high temperatures to places like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.
The eastern United States is facing a “heat dome” – a weather system that traps hot air over an area like a lid on a pot. Over 30 states will see temperatures from the 90s (32.2º-37.8ºC) into the low 100s F (38º+ C). In some places, the heat index — how hot the moisture in the air makes it actually feel – could reach 115ºF (46ºC).
😕
This image has not been loaded because of your cookie choices. To view the content, you can accept 'Non-necessary' cookies.
South Asia has struggled with deadly heat since April. In May, 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities were in India. Some areas reached 118ºF (48ºC). This has led to at least 47 heat-related deaths in India and Pakistan. Above, people in Mumbai sleeping on a beach to escape the heat on June 19.
South Asia has struggled with deadly heat since April. In May, 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities were in India. Some areas reached 118ºF (48ºC). This has led to at least 47 heat-related deaths in India and Pakistan. Experts believe the real number may be higher.
Scientists warn that heat waves will happen more often as the planet continues to warm.
Did You Know…?
Many European homes and hospitals do not have air conditioning, which makes the heat more dangerous. The situation is similar in South Asia, where many people are at risk because so few buildings have air conditioning.