Venezuela has declared a national emergency after two major earthquakes struck the northern part of the country on Wednesday, occurring 39 seconds apart. The U.S. Geological Survey reported magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, with epicenters northwest of Yumare, near Morón, roughly 160 kilometers west of Caracas. The quakes occurred at depths of 20.3 and 10 kilometers and were felt across northern Venezuela and parts of the Caribbean.
Scientists have classified the sequence as a severe seismic doublet, a rare event in which two earthquakes of comparable strength occur in close succession and nearby locations. The USGS says there is about a 5 percent chance that an earthquake will be followed within a week by a larger one nearby. Researchers continue to study such events to understand how stress moves through Earth’s crust and between faults.
Experts say the geology of the region may have contributed. Mark Allen, an Earth sciences professor at Durham University, said the first rupture may have shifted stress onto a neighboring fault, triggering the second quake. The affected area lies near the boundary of the South American and Caribbean plates, where horizontal, or strike-slip, motion is common. Such earthquakes can produce strong shaking because they often originate at relatively shallow depths.
Authorities have reported at least 164 deaths and nearly 1,000 injuries, while damage has been documented in several urban areas, including buildings in coastal and Caracas-area neighborhoods. USGS loss models indicate the final toll could be substantially higher, reflecting quake intensity, population exposure, and building vulnerability.
Aftershocks remain a concern. The USGS notes that seismic sequences following large earthquakes can continue for days, weeks, or longer, even as frequency generally declines. Venezuelan officials are still assessing damage, coordinating emergency response, and urging residents to follow safety instructions as engineers and rescue teams evaluate affected areas.