Powerful earthquakes in Venezuela have dramatically changed part of Trinidad’s south-west coastline. The twin quakes measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. They have killed at least 1,400 people in Venezuela and triggered more than 400 aftershocks. The shaking also affected the Galfa coastline in Cedros, where part of the shoreline rose nearly 20 feet.

Residents discovered the raised land the morning after the earthquakes. They found fish, crabs, clams and a stingray trapped on the newly exposed seabed. Many of the animals died because the land rose so quickly. Small bubbling pools also appeared along the shoreline. Some released an unidentified substance.

Resident Kamal said the area had always been flat. He noticed the change the morning after the earthquakes. He believes the land lifted during the shaking because of underground fault lines. He said the fish had no time to escape because the ground moved within seconds.

Cedros resident Neil Sookram also visited the site. He said he first noticed what looked like an elevated beach. As he explored further, he realised the coastline had changed completely. He also saw many dead fish trapped beneath rocks and broken ground.

Geologist Xavier Moonan said a reactivated slump likely caused the uplift. A slump is a type of landslide that moves soil and rock downhill. The earthquakes likely triggered the movement. As the hillside shifted downward, it forced part of the beach and seabed upward. The sudden movement trapped marine life before it could return to deeper water.

Moonan said similar ground movement happened after Trinidad’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake in 2018. He added that the region remains unstable because of fault activity and mud volcanoes. He also observed bubbling pools and natural oil seeps along the coast. The shifting ground likely opened cracks beneath the surface.

No homes or farms were damaged. However, an oil company building reportedly suffered some damage. Moonan urged people to stay away from the area. He warned that the cliffs remain unstable and could collapse without warning.