Venezuela earthquake: State of emergency declared, schools, colleges shut; Why two earthquakes hit together
PTC News Desk: Venezuela has declared a state of emergency after two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck near Caracas on Wednesday night, causing widespread destruction and panic. The country's main international airport, Simon Bolivar International Airport, suffered serious damage when part of its roof collapsed and will be closed temporarily.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez urged people to remain calm and united during the crisis. Schools and colleges have been shut for several days, and all healthcare workers have been asked to report to hospitals to help treat the injured.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake, measuring 7.2, struck about 168 kilometres west of Caracas at a depth of 21.9 kilometres. Just 39 seconds later, a stronger 7.5-magnitude quake hit at a depth of 10 kilometres. The USGS described the first tremor as a "foreshock" and the second as the "mainshock." More than 20 aftershocks followed.
While officials have not yet released an official death toll, USGS estimates suggest casualties could be very high. In Falcon state, 32 people were hospitalised and 15 remained trapped under debris hours after the disaster. In Caracas, several buildings collapsed, and rescue teams pulled 18 survivors from one building alone. Authorities have advised residents to stay in open public areas because of the risk of more aftershocks.
The United States has offered assistance, with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau saying Washington is coordinating with Venezuelan authorities and mobilising aid.
Videos from affected areas highlight the force of the earthquakes. At the airport, passengers were seen fleeing as the terminal shook, lights flickered, and dust filled the air. Footage from homes shows furniture moving violently, televisions shaking on walls, and household items crashing to the floor, illustrating the strength of what are believed to be among the most powerful earthquakes to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
Why two earthquakes hit together ?
An earthquake doublet is a rare event in which two powerful earthquakes of nearly the same magnitude occur within a very short time, usually seconds or minutes apart. The quakes may happen on the same fault line or on two closely connected faults.
Unlike a typical earthquake sequence, where one large earthquake is followed by smaller aftershocks, neither earthquake in a doublet is clearly stronger or more important than the other. Both release huge amounts of energy on their own.
In Venezuela's case, the 7.1- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck just 39 seconds apart. Scientists classify this as an earthquake doublet because both quakes were major events rather than one being a simple aftershock of the other.
Earthquake doublets are extremely rare. Normally, when a fault ruptures, it releases enough stress to reduce the chance of another equally strong earthquake happening immediately. However, if nearby fault sections are already under intense pressure, the first earthquake can transfer stress to a neighbouring fault segment, triggering a second major quake almost instantly.
- With inputs from agencies
