Seven Earthquakes In Four Days: Are Venezuela, Pakistan And Afghanistan Quakes Connected?

Published 28 June 2026 · india

Seven Earthquakes In Four Days: Are Venezuela, Pakistan And Afghanistan Quakes Connected? Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 18:10 IST Experts say hundreds of

Seven Earthquakes In Four Days: Are Venezuela, Pakistan And Afghanistan Quakes Connected? Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 18:10 IST Experts say hundreds of earthquakes occur every day around the world, but most happen far from human habitation. Rapid Read Rescue personnel work as rescue operations continue after earthquakes hit the country, in La Guaira, Venezuela. (IMAGE: REUTERS) In less than a week, a series of powerful earthquakes have struck different parts of the world. From twin tremors in Venezuela to separate quakes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Japan and Northern California. The rapid succession of seismic events has sparked questions about whether the earthquakes are connected or simply a coincidence. The ground beneath the feet of Venezuelans roared and rumbled first on Wednesday. Within moments, people were killed and injured as buildings and infrastructure were reduced to rubble by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes. The death toll reached 1,430, and hopes of finding survivors dwindled as the first 72 hours after a natural disaster are considered the key, narrow window for rescuing the living. After that, the search becomes one of recovering bodies. At least 50,000 people were reported missing. On the same day, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck a rural part of Northern California, and hours later, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the northern coast of Japan.

Date Country/Region Magnitude June 24 Venezuela 7.2 June 24 Venezuela 7.5 June 24 Northern California, US 5.6 June 24 Northern Japan 7.2 June 27 Pakistan 5.5 June 27 Afghanistan (Hindu Kush) 6.2 June 28 Venezuela (Aftershock) 5.6 The tremors did not end there. After the devastation in Venezuela and earthquakes in North America and Japan, South Asia experienced its own bout of seismic activity on Saturday. A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan’s Balochistan province, damaging more than 100 houses and injuring at least 20 people. This was followed hours later by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake centred in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region, whose tremors were felt across Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts of northern India. No immediate casualties were reported from the Afghan quake. Are These Earthquakes Connected? Earthquakes occur because the Earth’s outer layer is not one solid shell but is broken into several giant pieces called tectonic plates. These plates are constantly moving, albeit very slowly—often just a few centimetres each year. As they collide, slide past one another or move apart, stress gradually builds up along cracks in the Earth’s crust known as faults. When that stress becomes too great, the rocks suddenly slip, releasing energy in the form of seismic waves that shake the ground.