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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, July 18th 2026 - 14:18 UTC

Environment

  • Thursday, June 25th 2026 - 21:51 UTC

    Fishermen film the first seconds of Venezuela's earthquake from the sea off La Guaira

    In the video the reaction of the fishermen and an unusual movement of the boats can be seen during the first seconds of the quake

    A group of fishermen working off the coast of La Guaira state captured on video the moment when the two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that shook Venezuela began on Wednesday and that, according to the latest official toll, left at least 164 dead and 971 injured. The footage, shared on social media, became one of the most widely circulated records of the catastrophe.

  • Thursday, June 25th 2026 - 09:30 UTC

    Two powerful earthquakes strike northern Venezuela and collapse buildings in Caracas

    The USGS described both quakes as a “seismic doublet,” a phenomenon in which two large-magnitude earthquakes occur seconds apart in the same area

    Two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, about 39 seconds apart, struck north-central Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, collapsing buildings in the capital, Caracas, and leaving rescue teams working through the rubble, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, though she did not provide figures for the injured or dead.

  • Thursday, June 25th 2026 - 09:04 UTC

    Venezuela's earthquake toll rises to at least 164 dead and nearly 1,000 injured

    Rodríguez said that La Guaira, a coastal state north of Caracas, is the hardest hit and described it as a “disaster zone,” with a high number of collapsed buildings

    The number of victims from the twin earthquake that struck north-central Venezuela rose to at least 164 dead and 971 injured, acting President Delcy Rodríguez reported on Thursday, warning that the figure would keep rising as rescue work progressed. The quakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, hit on Wednesday afternoon and left dozens of buildings collapsed across several regions of the country.

  • Thursday, June 25th 2026 - 06:41 UTC

    Offers of aid pour in for Venezuela from across the Americas and beyond after its earthquake

    Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed his “concern and dismay” and instructed his Foreign Ministry and the embassy in Caracas to assess assistance measures

    Governments from across the Americas and other regions of the world expressed solidarity with Venezuela and offered assistance after the twin earthquake of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck the north-central part of the country on Wednesday and that, according to the first official toll, left at least 32 dead and more than 700 injured. Several countries announced the dispatch of rescue teams, while acting President Delcy Rodríguez thanked them for the shows of support.

  • Saturday, June 20th 2026 - 20:35 UTC

    Australia reports bird flu has killed 13.000 elephant seal pups in Heard and McDonald islands

    Australian Antarctic Program says mortality in some elephant seal “harems” as high as 97%.

    The pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5N1 has killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after infecting a breeding colony on a sub-Antarctic volcanic island, Australian scientists from the Antarctic Program discovered.

  • Sunday, June 14th 2026 - 20:30 UTC

    Uruguay to add AI to environmental controls and seeks a new environmental-crimes law

    In Minister Ortuño's view, the increase in administrative sanctions set by the recent fines decree “must be complemented by the incorporation into the Penal Code of a chapter on environmental crimes”

    Uruguay's Environment Minister, Edgardo Ortuño, said the ministry will incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into environmental controls and push for a new environmental-crimes law, among the priorities he outlined ahead of the budget review (Rendición de Cuentas) that the Executive will present to Parliament on June 30.

  • Thursday, June 11th 2026 - 22:34 UTC

    Colombia's government confirms El Niño will be among the most intense since 1950

    In Colombia, El Niño tends to be associated with a decline in rainfall, which raises the risk of drought and energy rationing in a country that relies heavily on hydroelectric generation

    Colombia's Environment Ministry confirmed on Thursday that the El Niño phenomenon arrived about three months earlier than expected and that, if projections hold, it will be one of the “most intense recorded since 1950,” according to data from the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (Ideam). The agency said the conditions associated with the phenomenon —which warms ocean waters above normal— are already present in the equatorial Pacific.

  • Tuesday, June 9th 2026 - 19:55 UTC

    Falklands celebrated Environment and Oceans awareness last Sunday

    The Falkland Islands Environment Department, together with Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Maritime Authority joined SAERI and other related organizations in celebrating World Environment Day and World Ocean Day during the last weekend.

  • Tuesday, June 9th 2026 - 14:20 UTC

    IAATO's new Geofenced Whale Area around South Orkney Islands

    Happywhale's Ted Cheeseman called the South Orkney Islands an 'oceanic Serengeti for whales (Pic Gennaa Rowland)

    On World Oceans Day the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, IAATO reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the Southern Ocean by announcing the establishment of a new voluntary “Geofenced Whale Area” around the South Orkney Islands beginning in the 2026/27 Antarctic season.

  • Wednesday, June 3rd 2026 - 08:30 UTC

    BAS confirmed as world’s leading center for Antarctic and Southern Ocean research

    Professor Dame Jane Francis (Director of BAS) and Oliver Darke (Director of Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure) representing the UK at ATCM in Japan

    A major new analysis has confirmed the UK’s British Antarctic Survey (BAS) as the world’s leading center for Antarctic and Southern Ocean research. This was revealed during the Antarctic treaty Consultive Meeting, ATCM, recent May meeting in Japan that convened Antarctic Leaders and government official from across the world.