At least 164 people were killed and around 1,000 others injured after two powerful earthquakes, described as a “doublet”, struck Venezuela within seconds of each other on Wednesday evening.
Experts fear the death toll could rise significantly as rescue operations continue across the affected regions.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes were among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. The last earthquake of comparable strength struck the capital, Caracas, in 1990, registering a magnitude of 7.7.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake struck west of Moron on the Caribbean coast, roughly 170 kilometres west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometres. Just 39 seconds later, a second and even stronger earthquake measuring 7.5 magnitude hit at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre located 16 kilometres southwest of Moron.
The back to back earthquakes caused widespread destruction, with several buildings collapsing. Authorities also warned residents about the risk of landslides and soil liquefaction in the worst affected areas. The USGS issued a red level PAGER alert, indicating a high likelihood of severe damage and significant loss of life.
What is an earthquake doublet?
An earthquake doublet refers to two major earthquakes that occur close together in both time and location. Unlike the more common sequence of a mainshock followed by smaller aftershocks, both earthquakes in a doublet are typically similar in strength and intensity, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
Writing for The Conversation, Mark Quigley, an associate professor of earthquake science at the University of Melbourne, explained that earthquake doublets are usually similar in magnitude and may be “causally linked, but seismologically distinct.”
“This means the seismic waves from each quake are separated by a gap in time, and/or originate from distinct sources. Although the Venezuelan earthquake epicentres were within mere kilometres of each other, seismic wave information from the USGS suggests they likely originated from different faults with different rupture styles,” he wrote.
Quigley added that the first earthquake likely triggered the second.
“This could have happened because Earth’s crust displacement in the first earthquake fault increased stress on the second earthquake’s source fault. Additionally, the passage of seismic waves from the first earthquake could have rattled nearby faults already prone to rupture, causing them to fail,” he explained.
Venezuela lies along the boundary between the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, placing it close to several active fault lines.
According to the USGS, the two tectonic plates slide past one another at a rate of about 20 millimetres per year. Quigley said this constant movement gradually builds stress along fault zones in northern Venezuela, making the region vulnerable to frequent shallow earthquakes.
How common are earthquake doublets?
Earthquake doublets are relatively rare, although there have been notable examples in the past.
In 2023, Turkey experienced a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed nine hours later by another measuring 7.6 magnitude. The epicentres of the two quakes were approximately 100 kilometres apart.
A 2025 study published in Nature examined the Turkey earthquakes and found that the composition of the Earth’s crust can influence how such paired earthquakes unfold. Researchers noted that when a powerful earthquake strikes a region with certain geological characteristics, it not only releases energy but also redistributes stress across nearby fault lines.
This transfer of stress can push neighbouring fault segments that are already close to their breaking point beyond their limit, increasing the likelihood of another major earthquake occurring soon afterward.
