Colombia and Venezuela quakes are unconnected despite similar magnitude, experts say
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western and central Colombia on Monday has a different tectonic origin from the earthquakes recorded in Venezuela in June, despite comparable magnitudes, said Viviana Dionisio, a seismologist with Colombia's National Seismological Network.
On Monday, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western and central Colombia, originating from a different tectonic mechanism than the earthquakes that occurred in Venezuela in June. Viviana Dionisio, a seismologist with Colombia's National Seismological Network, explained that the Colombian quake was a subduction earthquake, caused by the Nazca plate sliding under the South American plate.
In contrast, the Venezuelan earthquakes in June were caused by lateral displacement between the Caribbean and South American plates, known as strike-slip faulting. The depth of the earthquakes also contributed to the difference in damage, as shallow earthquakes release more energy near the epicenter while deep ones lose energy as they pass through more material.
The Colombian quake had its epicenter near San José del Palmar, in Chocó department. While aftershocks are common following such an earthquake, predicting their occurrence or magnitude is not possible. Despite the earthquake causing over 130 deaths, experts noted that the damage could have been worse, given the event's magnitude.
Written by urgent.news from MercoPress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
