Chilean scientists explain destructive 2026 Venezuela earthquake

Researchers from the University of Chile’s National Seismological Center have released a study explaining the extreme destructiveness of the earthquake that struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026. The study, published in the journal The Seismic Record, suggests the event was a complex rupture involving two different fault systems rather than two separate earthquakes.

The analysis indicates the sequence had an estimated magnitude of 7.6 and lasted approximately 70 seconds, which is significantly longer than expected for a quake of its type. One fracture reportedly advanced at speeds of 5.5 kilometers per second, exceeding the speed of certain seismic waves. This combination of prolonged duration and high-speed rupture contributed to the intense structural damage and high casualty count reported during the event.