Rare ‘double earthquake’ hits Venezuela: Earth shaken by two super-shocks of magnitude 7.1 and 7.5 within 39 seconds; Know what this dreadful incident is

News of a very rare and scary form of nature is coming out from the South American country Venezuela. An extremely rare and complex seismic event like ‘Doublet Earthquake’ has been recorded in Venezuela on Wednesday. In this event, two devastating and powerful earthquakes occurred one after the other at an interval of a few seconds within the same geographical area, which shook the entire country.

According to official data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), due to this double crisis, multi-storey buildings in many major cities including the Venezuelan capital Caracas started shaking like cards. Due to these severe earthquakes, lakhs of people got scared and started running towards the streets to save their lives.

Just 39 seconds apart and two devastating shocks

According to the USGS seismic report, the timeline and intensity of this double earthquake in Venezuela was very surprising:

• First Shock (Foreshock): This earthquake had a massive intensity of 7.2 on the Richter scale, which occurred at 2204 GMT according to international time. Its main center was underground, about 21 kilometers west of the famous Venezuelan coastal city of Morón.

• Second shock (mainshock): Just 39 seconds after the first shock, a second and even more powerful main earthquake of magnitude 7.5 occurred just 45 kilometers from the first epicenter.

American geologists have classified this entire series as a “doublet”, where an extremely powerful initial shock of magnitude 7.2 occurred less than a minute before the main destructive shock of magnitude 7.5.

Gas supply stopped; Home Minister said- “Strict steps should be taken to avoid a major accident”

Although it is a matter of relief that the disaster management and local authorities did not immediately officially confirm the death of any civilian, there has been extensive damage to infrastructure and buildings in many areas.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told the media after reviewing the situation, “Buildings and residential structures have been seriously damaged in many states of the country. Underground utility lines have been affected at many places due to the earthquake. We do not want another major and deadly incident related to gas leakage in cities after the earthquake.” He informed that as a precautionary measure and for safety, the main gas supply to all the affected residential and commercial areas has been immediately cut (blocked).

Understand from the point of view of science: What is this ‘double earthquake’?

Generally, when a big earthquake occurs, it is followed by smaller aftershocks which we call ‘aftershocks’. But ‘doublet earthquake’ is completely different and much more dangerous. According to Seismology:

1. Two main shocks of similar intensity: When two major earthquakes occur at a very short interval of time in the same area or within the same fault system, whose intensity (magnitude) is almost the same or equal, then it is called ‘doublet earthquake’.

2. Modern definition: Initially, scientists considered only those earthquakes as doublets which originated from exactly the same point (focus) and from which the seismic waves emanating from them looked exactly the same on the graph. But today, in modern science, the occurrence of two or more main shocks of almost similar strength at a short interval of time is called ‘doublet’.

Aftershock vs Doublet: Why is this phenomenon more dangerous?

This seismic series in Venezuela is the most accurate and vivid example of a ‘doublet’. Here the 7.2 magnitude initial shock first shook the ground and before the energy could subside, the 7.5 magnitude main shock that followed exactly 39 seconds later doubled the devastation. Geographically, Venezuela is situated at the junction of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, due to which such rare fault movements are seen here.