Many earthquakes in Venezuela are "shallow-focus," meaning they occur less than 15 to 20 kilometres below the ground.

Venezuela's twin earthquakes may have been caused by a rare earthquake doublet, in which two neighbouring fault segments rupture within seconds. The shallow depth and closely linked quakes amplified the destruction across the country.

Venezuela witness a massive disaster but there's more to it. Here's what an earthquake doublet is, why Venezuela is vulnerable to major quakes, and what could happen next.

Venezuela is highly vulnerable to powerful earthquakes due to its location along the active boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, where constant geological stress builds up beneath the surface.