Mud volcano forms off Trinidad after Venezuela earthquakes

On 24 June 2026 twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck the north‑eastern coast of Venezuela. Within days a mud‑volcano emerged off the southern coast of Trinidad, about 2.5 km east of Beach Camp in the Palo Seco area and 3.3 km east of the Anglais Point mud‑volcano. The new cone rises roughly four metres above the seabed and consists of soft clay, rock fragments and calcite‑rich blocks expelled from the ocean floor. Geoscientist Xavier Moonan of the University of the West Indies said it is “very likely” that the extrusion was triggered by the Venezuelan quakes.

The island is already eroding; initial images show that roughly one‑third of its mass was removed by wave action in the first two days and the clay surface is beginning to harden. Scientists from the UWI Seismic Research Centre, the Institute of Marine Affairs and the consulting firm ResiLog are analysing samples to determine the material’s age and origin. The mud‑volcano is distinct from earlier quake‑induced coastal changes on Trinidad, such as the six‑metre uplift at Galfa Point that stranded marine life and exposed mineral deposits. No damage to nearby beaches or cliffs has been reported, and the formation is being closely monitored for further erosion.