What to know about ‘doublet’ earthquakes like the destructive pair that hit Venezuela

Venezuela recently experienced a doublet sequence of earthquakes, characterized by two seismic events occurring in short succession. While such pairs are not rare, this specific occurrence likely increased the overall destruction. These earthquakes took place where the Caribbean plate moves eastward relative to the South American plate. This tectonic movement occurs at an average rate of 0.79 inches per year, contributing to the seismic activity observed in the region during this destructive doublet event.