Blood-red skies appear over Venezuela sparking fears of biblical omen
The skies over parts of Venezuela have turned a sinister blood-red just days after the region endured back-to-back deadly earthquakes.
Videos and photos taken from Caracas on June 30 captured the ominous scene, showing a sky glowing an intense crimson red as the sun dipped below the horizon.
Social media users questioned if the colored sky was linked to the deadly earthquake that had recently struck the region.
The timing sparked theories ranging from mysterious 'earthquake lights' to biblical signs, as many likened it to Joel 2:30-31, which describes the 'Day of the Lord', which is a time of God's coming judgment and power.
'And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes,' read the verses.
However, experts said the dramatic display was caused by much more ordinary phenomena.
The deep red glow, known in Venezuela as a candilazo, occurs when sunlight interacts with particles in the atmosphere under specific conditions, producing a fiery sunset.
There is also a significant Saharan dust plume crossing the Atlantic into the Caribbean and northern South America, which can also turn the sky red, especially during sunrises and sunsets.
Videos and photos taken from Caracas captured the ominous scene, showing a sky glowing an intense crimson red as the sun dipped below the horizon
Experts stressed that while the recent seismic disaster may have heightened fears and fueled speculation, the blood-red skies were the result of a well-understood atmospheric event and not evidence of earthquake-related activity or a biblical omen.
Videos and photos of Caracas have flooded social media, where many users appeared concerned for the region.
'This is beyond unsettling. What is happening in Venezuela?' one X user shared.
Others are sure the blood red was a sign from God, as another X user posted: 'Repent. Jesus is near.'
Several Bible passages have long been associated with unusual events in the sky.
The most frequently cited is Joel 2:31, with the prophecy being repeated in the New Testament in Acts 2:20, where the Apostle Peter declares: 'The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.'
Another often-referenced verse, Revelation 6:12, describes apocalyptic signs in the heavens, saying, 'The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.'
Over the years, these passages have led some Christians to interpret blood moons, deep red sunsets, unusual auroras and smoke-filled skies as possible signs of the approaching end times or Christ's return.
The deep red glow, known in Venezuela as a candilazo, occurs when sunlight interacts with particles in the atmosphere under specific conditions, producing a fiery sunset
However, biblical scholars and scientists generally caution against linking specific natural phenomena to prophecy.
In the case of Venezuela's crimson sky, atmospheric experts said the event was a candilazo and the massive Saharan dust plume that traveled across the Atlantic from Africa.
Atmospheric experts said the crimson sky was caused by a candilazo, a phenomenon that occurs when sunlight passes through large amounts of dust and other tiny particles in the atmosphere.
The massive Saharan dust plume also filled the air with microscopic particles that scattered shorter blue and green wavelengths of light, allowing the longer red and orange wavelengths to dominate the sky.
As the sun sank lower on the horizon, its light had to travel through an even thicker layer of dust-filled atmosphere, intensifying the fiery red hues and creating the dramatic blood-red sunset seen across Venezuela.
The sinister scene followed major earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24, when 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes hit back-to-back.
Some 774 buildings were badly damaged in the back-to-back quakes that struck on Wednesday evening, including 189 buildings that have totally collapsed, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Sunday.
Officials said on Wednesday that the death toll has climbed to 1,943, but many more people are still missing.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
