[Sportschosun Reporter Jang Jong-ho] An unusual scene in which the sky turned blood red was captured in Venezuela, which has already suffered heavy damage from a powerful earthquake, fueling a wave of speculation.
Some even claimed the phenomenon was linked to the earthquake or was a biblical sign of the end times. Experts, however, warned against jumping to conclusions, saying it was a natural event caused by dust in the atmosphere and the scattering of light.
According to foreign media outlets, including the Daily Mail, photos and videos taken at sunset on the 30th of last month local time in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, showed the entire sky turning a deep red. The images spread quickly on social media, and residents who saw the fiery sky expressed anxiety, suspecting a connection to the recent major earthquake.
Some users linked the phenomenon to so-called Earthquake Lights or cited a verse from the Old Testament that says the sun will grow dark and the moon will turn to blood, interpreting it as a sign of the apocalypse.
Meteorology and atmospheric experts, however, explained that the event was a sunset phenomenon known in Venezuela as Candilazo. It occurs when sunlight passes through an atmosphere filled with dust and fine particles, leaving only the longer red and orange wavelengths strongly visible and making the sky appear red.
The effect was also influenced by a massive dust storm from the Sahara Desert in Africa, which recently crossed the Atlantic Ocean and spread to the Caribbean Sea and northern South America. Fine particles in the air scattered more of the shorter blue and green wavelengths, allowing the longer red wavelengths to stand out more clearly. As the sun moved closer to the horizon, its light passed through a thicker layer of atmosphere, making the red glow even deeper.
Experts stressed that although the red sky is being interpreted in connection with the earthquake amid growing public anxiety after the recent strong tremors, there is no scientific evidence so far that the phenomenon has any direct link to seismic activity or geological changes.
Meanwhile, Venezuela was hit by back-to-back powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale on the 24th of last month, causing extensive damage. Local reports said the officially confirmed death toll has reached 2,295, with more than 50,000 people still missing. As casualties continue to rise, the Government of Venezuela has declared seven days of national mourning to honor the victims.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
