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WESH 2's Cam Tran Explains Rare Earthquake Doublet that Struck Venezuela
The USGS estimates landslide exposure at 1,000 to 10,000 people and liquefaction exposure at 10,000 to 100,000 after the doublet.
- On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, a rare earthquake 'doublet' struck Venezuela when a 7.2-magnitude quake was followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude tremor, killing at least 188 people.
- Tectonic movement between the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate drives Venezuela's seismic risk, as these giant sections of Earth's crust grind along major faults, building stress periodically released as earthquakes.
- Structural dynamics experts noted most collapsed buildings were 'non-ductile concrete,' lacking sufficient steel to absorb seismic energy. The 7.5-magnitude shock released almost 3 times the energy of the initial 7.2-magnitude quake.
- Rescue operations continue as at least 1,520 people are injured and more than 150 remain missing. Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez thanked President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin for international assistance.
- The U.S. Geological Survey said there's a 99% chance of at least one magnitude 4 aftershock within the next week. The sequence raised questions for Californians about whether similar back-to-back earthquakes could strike the Golden State.
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11 Articles
11 Articles
The 2 earthquakes that struck Venezuela are known as a 'doublet.' Here's what to know about them
The doublet occurred where the Caribbean plate, located north of Venezuela, moves eastward relative to the South American plate at an average rate of 0.79 inches a year.
·Washington, United States
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The Desert Sun+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
·Palm Springs, United States
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Venezuela was hit by two earthquakes almost simultaneously. On Wednesday afternoon, two earthquakes, one of 7.2 magnitude and one of 7.5 magnitude, struck the South American country with a difference of just 39 seconds. Thousands of kilometers, in Japan, just a few hours later, a earthquake of 7.2 magnitude shook the Asian country. However, the damage is not comparable. The earthquakes in Venezuela caused the collapse of dozens of buildings in C…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left4Leaning Right0Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Left
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
57% Left
L 57%
C 43%
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