Why did they pancake? Building failures, soft soil amplify Venezuela quake destruction

AI Summary

Structural weaknesses and soft soil significantly amplified the destruction caused by recent earthquakes in Venezuela, flattening a coastal housing complex initiated during Hugo Chavez's leadership. Engineers have urged a government audit of similar public housing still standing.

When late Venezuelan ⁠leader Hugo Chavez built this coastal housing development bearing his name as part of his socialist revolution, residents found ⁠a fresh start after deadly floods had decimated the area more than a decade earlier. But after two back-to-back earthquakes flattened parts of the 1,100-unit complex last Wednesday, engineers have urged the Venezuelan government to swiftly audit similar public housing that is still standing. “I lost my whole apartment,” said Yelsa Rojas, who since...