UNAM Expert Says Recent Quakes Not Sign of Increasing Activity

Recent earthquakes, including a seismic doublet in Venezuela, have sparked concerns about increasing global seismic activity, but experts clarify that this perception is driven by rapid information spread rather than a real uptick. There is no evidence that the planet is experiencing more earthquakes than usual Source: Excelsior MX.

The science behind the perception

Ericka Alinne Solano Hernández, a geosciences specialist at UNAM, explained that Earth's tectonic plates are in constant motion, and quakes occur daily. The recent Venezuelan doublet—two quakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 just 39 seconds apart—is a rare phenomenon. The region's complex interaction of Caribbean and South American plates may have caused the first quake to trigger the second Source: Excelsior MX; Infobae. Similar doublets occurred in Turkey in 2023 and in Ometepec, Mexico, in 1982.

Preparedness is key

Since earthquakes cannot be predicted, prevention is vital. Experts recommend:

• Establish a safe family meeting point.
• Prepare an emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, medications, flashlight, battery-powered radio, batteries, whistle, power bank, and important documents.
• Conduct drills and identify safe zones at home. Source: Infobae

Given the impossibility of predicting quakes, prevention remains the best defense Source: Excelsior MX.