The two Venezuela earthquakes were about 39 seconds apart , and their epicenters were estimated to be about 3 miles apart.

Quick Scoop

They’re described as a rare doublet earthquake pair, meaning two similar- sized quakes hit very close together in both time and location.

What that means

  • Time gap: 39 seconds.
  • Distance between epicenters: roughly 3 miles.
  • Magnitudes: 7.2 first, then 7.5.

Why it matters

That short spacing can make the shaking feel like one extended event instead of two separate quakes. It also complicates rescue and damage assessment because the second quake hits before the situation from the first has settled.

TL;DR: the quakes were seconds apart, not minutes apart , and their centers were only a few miles apart.