Two catastrophic earthquakes over 7.0 magnitude rocked Venezuela, leaving a trail of destruction, claiming more than 3,000 fatalities, and thousands of severe injuries. Among the survivors of the disaster is a Jacksonville couple who witnessed their own apartment building split in half and collapse around them.
Adriana and Pancho Rodriguez had recently purchased an apartment in the coastal city of La Guaira, looking forward to a relaxing Father’s Day getaway. Instead, their vacation transformed into a brutal fight for survival.
The nightmare began mid-afternoon when Adriana was in the bedroom filming a video to show a friend her outfit. Suddenly, the ground violently shifted. Cell phone footage captured the immediate chaos, with screams of “¡Un terremoto! ¡Un terremoto!” (“An earthquake! An earthquake!”) echoing in the background…