Key facts
- Grian Serrano survived both the 1999 mudslides and recent earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela.
- He and his family were trapped when their apartment building collapsed.
- The recent earthquakes killed over 1,700 people and damaged hundreds of buildings.
- Serrano has vowed never to return to La Guaira.
- Experts suggest the region's terrain and building standards may have contributed to the damage.
Venezuelan merchant Grian Serrano has survived two of the country’s most devastating natural disasters, the 1999 mudslides and recent powerful earthquakes in La Guaira. Serrano, 46, recounted his miraculous escape from his collapsed apartment building with his son and mother, attributing his survival to divine intervention.
The recent earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, have claimed over 1,700 lives and injured more than 5,000, with hundreds of buildings destroyed or damaged, predominantly in La Guaira. The state, previously known as Vargas, is strategically important due to its proximity to Caracas and its major international airport and seaport.
Serrano, who lost his home and belongings, expressed a belief that La Guaira is cursed due to the repeated calamities. However, disaster specialist Ángel Rangel explained that the region's terrain, composed of sediment from surrounding mountains, is inherently risky for construction. He noted that buildings constructed in the 1970s may not have adhered to seismic-resistant engineering standards established after a 1967 earthquake.
Shaken by the experience, Serrano stated he will never live in La Guaira again, feeling that a third disaster would be insurmountable.