Earthquakes Strike Venezuela, Japan, and the U.S. Around the Same Time; Experts See No Connection

Significant earthquakes have occurred in Japan and the United States around the same time as a powerful tremor in Venezuela.

However, experts explain that these events appear to be unrelated.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquakes in Venezuela occurred at 7:04 AM and 7:05 AM today (KST).

The quakes were located 23 km and 28 km southeast of Yumare, Venezuela, respectively, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.

Shortly after, at 7:30 AM today, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurred 30 km east-northeast of Kuji, Japan.

Earlier, at 12:10 AM today, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 11 km north of Redwood Valley, California, in the United States.

These earthquakes in Venezuela, the U.S., and Japan occurred in succession within a span of less than eight hours.

Dr. Lucy Jones, a seismologist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), explained to CNN that the earthquakes in Venezuela and those in Japan and the U.S. appear to be unconnected.

These earthquakes occurred along different fault systems and plate boundaries.

This means that none of these quakes triggered the others.

Dr. Jones explained that the occurrence of a large earthquake does not increase the likelihood of another major earthquake occurring thousands of kilometers away.

She added that large earthquakes typically occur along well-known active plate boundaries where stress has accumulated over decades or centuries, and that it is currently impossible with modern science and technology to predict exactly when an earthquake will occur.

(Photo: Screenshot of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.