Global quakes top 90 in a week, including a deadly double hit in Venezuela
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recorded 93 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or stronger worldwide between June 19 and June 26, anchoring a week of heightened global seismic activity that included a rare and devastating “doublet” in Venezuela.
According to the USGS, earthquakes with a magnitude above 4.0 are generally capable of causing localized damage. The most significant event of the tracking period occurred on June 24 off Venezuela’s northern coast, where two powerful earthquakes struck just seconds apart.
The USGS reported the initial tremor at a magnitude of 7.2, followed a mere 39 seconds later by a stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake.
Newsweek reached out to the USGS Saturday by email for more information.
Venezuela Doublet Drives Devastation
The back-to-back earthquakes triggered widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, collapsing multi-story buildings, severing major roadways, and overwhelming local emergency response networks.
Venezuela’s double earthquake disaster left hundreds dead and thousands injured, with early official reports citing at least 920 fatalities and more than 3,000 people hurt as rescue efforts continued.
The epicenters were located near the country’s Caribbean coast, west of the capital city of Caracas. Both tremors struck at relatively shallow depths, which seismologists say significantly intensifies ground shaking and structural damage at the surface.
Experts describe seismic doublets as rare events that occur when a large earthquake rapidly triggers a second, similarly sized rupture along the exact same fault system or an adjacent boundary line.
Initial computer modeling by the USGS prompted immediate warnings of “high casualties and extensive damage” due to the region’s population density and varying building infrastructure standards.
Dr. Lucy Jones, a California-based seismologist, told local station ABC7 that the fault line responsible for the Venezuela disaster shares fundamental characteristics with California’s San Andreas Fault system. Both are strike-slip boundaries where tectonic plates slide horizontally past one another.
Jones warned the disaster offers a “stark warning” for Southern California, adding that the type of seismic activity seen in Venezuela closely resembles what could occur along the San Andreas, particularly in its southern section. She also emphasized the impacts of a major rupture would extend far beyond the fault itself, with strong shaking, infrastructure disruptions, and damage possible even in areas located some distance away.
Japan Earthquake
Separately, a powerful offshore earthquake rattled northern Japan during the same weekly window. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture in the country’s northeastern region, according to meteorological officials.
The quake generated intense shaking across parts of northern Japan, reaching levels on the local seismic scale that make standing difficult. However, no tsunami warnings were issued, and regional authorities reported no immediate deaths, major injuries, or severe structural damage.
Transit operators temporarily halted bullet trains and regional rail lines to conduct precautionary safety tracks. Experts noted the minimal impact from such a powerful tremor underscores Japan’s rigorous building codes and highly developed seismic preparedness measures.
Why So Many Earthquakes?
Despite the striking data point of nearly 100 significant earthquakes globally in a single week, geologists emphasize that the activity falls within normal baseline parameters.
Earthquake monitoring networks detect hundreds of quakes globally every day, most too small to be felt. Over a typical week, dozens reach magnitude 4.5 or higher, especially along active plate boundaries in regions like:
- The Pacific “Ring of Fire”
- The Caribbean plate boundary
- Mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones
Data shows that thousands of earthquakes in the 4.0–5.9 range occur worldwide each year, reflecting the Earth’s constant tectonic movement.
What to Watch
Aftershock risks remain a critical concern, particularly in northern Venezuela. The USGS estimated a very high probability of additional significant shaking and localized aftershocks in the days following the initial double rupture, posing ongoing hazards to rescue workers and compromised structures.
Contact Newsweek editor for this story: Anthony Murray
