Watch: Venezuela, Japan and California shaken by powerful quakes within hours

Three powerful earthquakes struck different parts of the world within hours on Thursday, with twin earthquakes hitting Venezuela, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shaking northeastern Japan and a magnitude 5.6 quake striking northern California, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). While the cluster of seismic events raised questions about whether they were connected, experts say the quakes were unrelated.The strongest impact was reported in Venezuela, where the USGS recorded back-to-back earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 within seconds. The powerful tremors triggered widespread panic across the country, bringing down several buildings in the capital Caracas, cracking roads and forcing residents onto the streets as emergency teams rushed to affected areas.The mayor of Caracas’ Chacao district confirmed that the earthquakes caused fatalities, though the exact death toll has not yet been released. Rescue operations were continuing, with authorities warning that the number of casualties could rise as search efforts progressed.Venezuela’s presidency said around 20 aftershocks had been recorded following the twin earthquakes. The US Tsunami Warning System also issued a tsunami threat for parts of the Caribbean, while officials continued monitoring sea-level changes and advised coastal residents to remain alert.In Japan, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the northeast coast, according to the USGS. Authorities said no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities.Japan’s government set up an emergency team to gather information from the affected Tohoku region and prepare disaster relief operations. The epicentre was located off the coast of Iwate prefecture at a depth of about 50 kilometres. The strongest shaking was recorded in Aomori prefecture, where the intensity reached 6-plus on Japan’s seven-point seismic scale, making it difficult for people to remain standing.Tohoku Electric Power said no abnormalities were found at its Onagawa and idled Higashidori nuclear power plants, while the Nuclear Regulation Authority reported no issues at nearby nuclear facilities. East Japan Railway temporarily suspended parts of the Tohoku Shinkansen and other train services, and some expressways were closed for inspections.In the United States, the USGS reported a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in northern California. The quake struck about 11 kilometres north of Redwood Valley at a depth of 8.1 kilometres. There were no immediate reports of damage, while California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said it was coordinating with emergency officials and assessing potential impacts.The occurrence of three significant earthquakes on the same day prompted questions over whether one event may have triggered another.Speaking to CNN, Caltech seismologist Dr Lucy Jones said the earthquakes occurred on separate fault systems and plate boundaries, meaning one did not trigger the others. She said large earthquakes thousands of miles apart generally do not increase the likelihood of another major quake elsewhere.According to CNN, while the timing may appear unusual, the locations are not. Each earthquake struck along well-known active plate boundaries where stress has been building for decades or even centuries. In these regions, large earthquakes are an expected part of the Earth’s natural cycle, even though predicting exactly when one will occur remains impossible.Japan is among the world’s most seismically active countries, accounting for about one-fifth of all earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater. In 2011, the country was struck by a magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami that triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.