Why Venezuela’s ‘Doublet’ Earthquakes Were so Devastating
Rescuers are searching ruined cities as the US Geological Survey says a major aftershock remains more than 50% likely within a year.
- On Wednesday, powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck Venezuela, claiming at least 589 lives and injuring thousands, with the epicentre located 170 kilometres west of Caracas.
- The catastrophe involved a rapid succession of two earthquakes occurring only 45 kilometres apart; experts describe these as rare "doublets," with only about 40 seconds elapsed between the first and second shock.
- Lecocq noted that a magnitude-7.5 earthquake "releases about three times as much energy as a magnitude-7.2 earthquake," which "can provoke longer and more important vibrations on affected buildings or structures."
- With the USGS estimating between 10,000 and 100,000 fatalities, rescuers face difficult conditions as Lecocq stated that coordinating rescue efforts "is much harder while under the threat of frequent aftershocks."
- USGS scientists warn that the risk of another magnitude-6 or above quake within the next year is over 50 percent, while experts predict dozens or even hundreds of aftershocks in coming months.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Although the epicenters were only separated by five kilometers, the depth was the factor that made the difference
Why Venezuela’s ‘doublet’ earthquakes were so devastating
The tremors that hit Venezuela on Wednesday evening have killed nearly 600 people and injured thousands. The disaster consisted of a rare phenomenon called a “doublet”, meaning a quick succession of major “twin” earthquakes.
Experts have been analyzing the case of Chile following the seismic doubling that affected Venezuela this week,...
In a special edition of the Cocuyo Effect Peace, transmitted on the night of June 25, 2026 and conducted by journalist Luz Mely Reyes and the director of the NGO Laboratorio de Paz, Rafael Uzcátegui, the impact of the two strong earthquakes (magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5) that occurred on June 24 in Venezuela, with emphasis on the humanitarian response, was analyzed. In space, the seismic phenomenon was explained as a “seismic doublet”, where the first…
What is a seismic doublet and why has it hit Venezuela so hard?
On Wednesday 24 June 2026 at 18:04 local time, north-western Venezuela began to shake and, 39 seconds later, a second quake hit, feeding back into the first. But what exactly is a seismic doublet, and why is it so dangerous?
It is not only a matter of magnitude, but of the fault system that has been activated and the lack of adequate buildings against seismic risk.
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