Are earthquakes becoming more common? 160+ dead in Venezuela

• Two powerful earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela, killing more than 160 people.
• The quakes are among the strongest recorded this year and the largest to hit Venezuela in a century.
• The US has deployed search and rescue teams to assist with the emergency response.
• Venezuelan authorities have suspended classes and transit services while damage assessments are underway.
• Scientists say there is no evidence of a longterm global increase in major earthquakes, despite recent seismic activity.

Hours after a magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook parts of California, two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within 40 seconds of each other, collapsing buildings and killing more than 160 people.

The back-to-back quakes on Wednesday, June 24, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, rank among the strongest earthquakes recorded worldwide this year and the largest to hit the South American country in at least a century.

The natural disaster has triggered a sweeping emergency response as rescuers continue searching through rubble in Caracas and surrounding areas. Venezuelan authorities have suspended classes, shut down parts of the transit system and closed Simón Bolívar International Airport as damage assessments continue, CNN reported.

In response, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States has deployed search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles, and is preparing additional support, including defense assets and overhead imagery to assess damage.

Officials are also urging residents to remain at home if their structures are safe, while emergency crews work through damaged neighborhoods. The Supreme Court suspended operations and metro and rail services remain halted in the capital, CNN reported.

State telecommunications provider CANTV said it will offer internet, telephone and television services free of charge for 48 hours “in response to the contingency situation generated by the recent earthquakes,” according to a statement cited by CNN.

The move comes as the United Nations’ Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela urged authorities to restore full access to social networks and media, saying timely communication is “vital for the protection of the lives, safety, and well-being of the population,” and warning the disaster compounds “significant preexisting challenges.” Venezuela has faced ongoing internet restrictions, with more than 200 websites blocked in recent months, including dozens of media outlets and platforms such as X, Reddit and Signal, according to VE Sin Filtro, an organization that tracks internet freedom in the country.

The quakes come as some experts warn about the long-feared “Big One” in California, and recent studies suggest the San Andreas Fault in Southern California is under some of its highest stress in 1,000 years. While clusters of significant earthquakes can make it seem like the planet is becoming more active, scientists say there is no evidence of a longterm increase in major earthquakes globally.

Have earthquakes increased in recent years?

The powerful back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela, along with recent seismic activity in California, have prompted scrutiny of whether large earthquakes are becoming more frequent worldwide.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, there is no evidence that earthquakes are increasing globally. Instead, seismic activity naturally fluctuates over time, with short-term spikes and quieter periods reflecting normal variation in how stress is released along Earth’s tectonic plates.

USGS records show that the apparent rise in detected earthquakes in recent decades is largely due to improved global monitoring systems, which now record far more small earthquakes than were previously detectable. Longterm data suggest the Earth experiences about 16 major earthquakes per year at magnitude 7 or greater, with year-to-year variation above and below that average.

A 2012 analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that while recent decades have included several high-profile magnitude 8 and larger earthquakes, similar periods of elevated activity have occurred in the past. Overall variability in the record fits what researchers describe as natural fluctuation rather than a sustained upward trend.

Researchers note that earthquakes can occur in clusters, which can create the appearance of changing activity levels even when the underlying rate remains stable. These short-term spikes do not necessarily indicate a change in global seismic behavior.

At the same time, scientists emphasize that earthquake risk is not evenly distributed. It is shaped by regional fault systems and exposure, particularly in densely populated seismic zones such as California.

What causes earthquakes?

The Earth has four layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. The crust and top of the mantle make up another area called the "lithosphere," which acts like a skin surrounding the Earth's surface.

The lithosphere, however, is not a single piece but is divided into puzzle-like fragments called tectonic plates, according to the USGS. These parts of the lithosphere are not stationary and move slowly.

As tectonic plates move past one another, they occasionally bump or collide. This places stress on the plates' edges. When the stress becomes too great, it creates cracks called "faults." The point where these faults move against each other is called the "fault line."

When there is too much friction between the fault lines, energy is suddenly released, triggering seismic waves that cause an earthquake.

Can earthquakes be predicted?

Earthquakes are not predicted. Neither the U.S. Geological Survey nor scientists have predicted a major earthquake, and there's no expectation that this will change in the near future.

Tectonic plates map

What to do during an earthquake

• Drop to your hands and knees.
• Cover your head and neck under sturdy furniture if possible.
• Hold on until shaking stops.
• Stay indoors unless you are near a known coastal tsunami risk zone.

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Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached at [email protected].