People try to save animals after powerful earthquake in Venezuela

Residents were photographed carrying dogs and other animals to safety after a powerful earthquake struck Venezuela on Friday.

The earthquake, which measured up to magnitude 7.5 according to international monitoring agencies, caused severe damage in several parts of the country and was felt across much of northern South America.

“It’s the strongest quake I’ve ever felt in my life,” journalist Nicole Kolster told BBC Mundo. “It was so strong that I thought the building was going to fall on top of me.”

She lives in Palos Grandes, a district in central Caracas which was hit hard by the earthquake. “There are people who are very sad, powerless because they couldn’t get their pets out,” Kolster said.

A video circulating on social media, showing an elderly man reportedly rescuing his dogs during the earthquake, attracted widespread attention online. While the details of the viral video have not been independently verified, images from the disaster confirmed that many people took their pets with them as they escaped the shaking.

Animal welfare groups often encourage pet owners to include animals in emergency evacuation plans, as disasters can be just as dangerous for animals as they are for people.

Following earthquakes, animals can become trapped in damaged buildings, separated from their owners or injured by falling debris. Rescue organizations frequently work alongside emergency services to reunite lost pets with their families.

Can animals sense earthquakes before they happen?

Scientists have long studied reports of unusual animal behavior before earthquakes.

Many pet owners and farmers have reported seeing dogs barking excessively, cats hiding, birds becoming restless and livestock behaving strangely before major earthquakes.

Researchers believe some animals may be able to detect early warning signs that humans cannot easily notice. These could include small ground vibrations, changes in air pressure or sounds at frequencies outside the range of human hearing.