Block 07 of 11 · Report SSRC-TER-LG-01 · Version 2.2
Operational annexes, glossary and sources
Fact sheet for families, post-earthquake visual inspection, emergency kit, methodology, glossary and bibliography.
APPENDIX A. Family Quick Sheet
| CENTRAL IDEA. A page to print and complete before the next event. |
|---|
| Data | Family Information |
|---|---|
| Address and coordinates | ____________________________________________ |
| Primary meeting point | ____________________________________________ |
| Alternative meeting point outside the neighbourhood | ____________________________________________ |
| Contact outside the area | ____________________________________________ |
| Route to high ground / tsunami | ____________________________________________ |
| Gas, water, and electricity shut-off valves | ____________________________________________ |
| Essential medications | ____________________________________________ |
| People requiring support | ____________________________________________ |
| Pets and transport | ____________________________________________ |
Monthly check
Water and food within date; medication available.
Batteries charged, radio and torches operational.
Furniture and heavy objects secured.
Footwear and torch accessible next to the bed.
Routes and meeting point remembered by everyone.
Numbers and documents available without relying on the internet.
ANNEX B. Post-earthquake visual inspection checklist
| CORE IDEA. This checklist detects warning signs, but it does not replace the assessment of a competent technician. |
|---|
| Element | Warning Sign | Initial Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Fractured columns/beams, crushed concrete, exposed steel | Do not enter; cordon off and request inspection. |
| Building | Tilting, separation between blocks, generally jammed doors | Evacuate and keep distance. |
| Facade | Loose pieces, cracks, unstable glass and parapets | Create a perimeter larger than the fall height. |
| Ground | Cracks, ejected sand, subsidence or lateral displacement | Avoid loads and vehicles; geotechnics. |
| Slope | Cracks at the crest, tilted trees, rocks, new water | Move away from the trajectory and notify. |
| Gas/fuel | Odour, hissing, stains or displaced tank | Do not produce sparks; evacuate and call. |
| Electricity | Fallen cables, water on electrical panels, burning smell | Keep distance; operator. |
| Water/sanitation | Turbidity, pressure loss, backflow, breakage | Do not consume; isolate and analyse. |
APPENDIX C. Emergency and Continuity Kit
| CORE IDEA. The kit must be adapted to climate, health, number of people and potential isolation. |
|---|
| Group | Recommended content |
|---|---|
| Water and food | Safe water, containers, non-perishable food, can opener, hygiene. |
| Health | First aid kit, medication, prescriptions, glasses, masks, gloves, sun protection. |
| Information | Radio, torch, batteries, chargers, power bank, whistle, maps. |
| Protection | Sturdy footwear, helmet if available, clothing, blanket, waterproofs. |
| Documents | Identification, contacts, policies, inventory, small denomination cash. |
| Specific needs | Children, elderly, disability, animals, medical equipment. |
| Tools | Utility wrench, tape, rope, multi-tool; without engaging in dangerous rescue. |
| DURATION. International recommendations usually assume several days of autonomy. In communities that may become isolated by landslides or coastal roads, local planning must justify a larger reserve and rotate it. |
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ANNEX D. Methodology of Trend Analysis
| CENTRAL IDEA. The transparency of the count is necessary for the reader to be able to reproduce and question it. |
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Catalogue: USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), queried via FDSN Event Web Service on August 8, 2026. Regional window: latitude 0-15°N, longitude 80-55°W, minimum magnitude 4.5, calendar years 2000-2025 and partial period January 1-August 8, 2026. Northern Venezuela window: 7-13°N, 73-59°W, minimum magnitude 3.0, monthly count for 2026.
The regional rectangle includes additional territory and does not equate to political borders. It was chosen to capture northern South America and the southern Caribbean with a reproducible geometry. The 4.5 threshold reduces global detectability differences but does not eliminate revisions or network changes. The series does not measure total energy or the hazard to a city.
The year 2026 is incomplete. Its annualisation is a descriptive comparison, not a prediction. M7.2 and M7.5 earthquakes dominate energy and damage even if the total number is ordinary. A count assigns the same weight to M4.5 and M7.5; therefore, it is interpreted together with maximum magnitude, sequence, and spatial distribution.
FUNVISIS detects many more small earthquakes due to its local network and review. Counts between agencies may vary due to magnitude, location, duplicates, non-tectonic events, and updates. For Venezuelan operational surveillance, FUNVISIS should prevail; for homogeneous international comparison, ComCat is used.
| Year | M≥4.5 region |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 44 |
| 2001 | 31 |
| 2002 | 37 |
| 2003 | 33 |
| 2004 | 39 |
| 2005 | 37 |
| 2006 | 46 |
| 2007 | 51 |
| 2008 | 41 |
| 2009 | 43 |
| 2010 | 36 |
| 2011 | 47 |
| 2012 | 29 |
| 2013 | 42 |
| 2014 | 76 |
| 2015 | 67 |
| 2016 | 71 |
| 2017 | 58 |
| 2018 | 84 |
| 2019 | 65 |
| 2020 | 76 |
| 2021 | 65 |
| 2022 | 62 |
| 2023 | 86 |
| 2024 | 68 |
| 2025 | 65 |
| 2026 | 39 |
ANNEX E. Essential Glossary
| CORE IDEA. Brief definitions for interpreting reports and alerts. |
|---|
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) | Maximum estimated or recorded ground acceleration; relevant for the response of short structures. |
| Early warning | Alert issued after an earthquake begins and before strong shaking reaches more distant locations. |
| Confined aquifer | Permeable unit bounded by less permeable layers and under pressure. |
| Catalog completeness | Magnitude above which almost all events are considered to be detected. |
| Doublet | Two large earthquakes close in time, space, and size. |
| Swarm | A series of earthquakes without a clearly dominant mainshock. |
| Hypocentre | The point in depth where the rupture initiates. |
| Intensity | Effects of shaking at a location, not a single measure of earthquake size. |
| Karst | Topography and aquifer developed by the dissolution of soluble rocks. |
| Liquefaction | Loss of strength of saturated sediment during cyclic loading. |
| Moment magnitude | Logarithmic measure of the physical size of the rupture. |
| PAGER | USGS probabilistic rapid estimation of human and economic losses. |
| Precursor | Signal observed beforehand; only useful if reproducible and discriminating. |
| Aftershock | Subsequent earthquake associated with the readjustment of the rupture zone. |
| ShakeMap | Instrumental/modelled map of shaking distribution. |
| Volcanic tremor | Continuous seismic signal associated with fluid movement in a volcano. |
| EPS (expanded polystyrene) | Very lightweight rigid foam used for lightening, insulation, or as a mould; does not provide structural strength. |
| Pancake collapse | Falling of slabs almost parallel to each other after a floor loses its vertical capacity. |
| Void space (survival void) | Space remaining between collapsed elements that can protect a trapped person. |
| USAR | Urban Search and Rescue in collapsed structures, using international methods, equipment, and marking. |
| INSARAG | International Search and Rescue Advisory Group, coordinated by OCHA, which classifies USAR teams. |
| Microzonation | Study that divides a city into zones according to ground response: amplification, liquefaction, slopes. |
| Vs30 | Average shear wave velocity in the upper 30 metres of the ground; classifies the site. |
| Schmidt hammer | Rebound hammer that estimates the surface strength of concrete non-destructively. |
| Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) | Radar that penetrates the ground to locate rebar, voids, and internal changes. |
| Chain of custody | Record that guarantees who collected, stored, and transported each sample or evidence. |
| COVENIN 1756 | Venezuelan standard for the design and construction of earthquake-resistant buildings. |
| HVSR (microtremors) | Technique that uses ambient vibration to estimate the predominant period of a soil. |
APPENDIX F. Sources and Selected Bibliography
| CENTRAL IDEA. Online sources were consulted until August 8, 2026. Operational pages may be updated. |
|---|
[1] USGS. M7.5 event of 24-06-2026, executive page and ShakeMap/PAGER products. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000t7zp/executive
[2] USGS. M7.2 event of 24-06-2026, executive page. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000t7zc/executive
[3] USGS. Landslide assessment of the 2026 Venezuelan sequence. https://www.usgs.gov/programs/landslide-hazards/science/2026-venezuela-sequence-earthquake-triggered-landslide-hazards
[4] FUNVISIS. Recent earthquakes, monitor and official bulletins. https://www.funvisis.gob.ve/
[5] FUNVISIS. Seismological Atlas of Venezuela, Part 1: Seismology. https://www.funvisis.gob.ve/atlas/pdf/atlas_Parte_1_sismologia_WEB.pdf
[6] FUNVISIS. Is Venezuela a seismic country?. https://www.funvisis.gob.ve/old/pais_sismico.php
[7] EERI. Response to the M7.2 and M7.5 Venezuela earthquakes. https://www.eeri.org/about-eeri/news/31158-eeri-response-to-june-24-2026-m7-2-m7-5-yumare-venezuela-earthquakes
[8] Reuters. Official toll updated to August 3, 2026. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/death-toll-venezuela-june-earthquakes-tops-6000-2026-08-03/
[9] UWI-SRC. Eastern Caribbean seismicity and Trinidad profiles. https://uwiseismic.com/earthquakes/eastern-caribbean-earthquakes/
[10] SGC. Extraordinary bulletin of Puracé-Los Coconucos, August 7, 2026. https://www2.sgc.gov.co/Noticias/boletinesDocumentos/Boletin_Extraordinario_CVLC_ago_7_2026.pdf
[11] Smithsonian GVP. Global volcanism database and FAQs. https://volcano.si.edu/
[12] USGS. Can earthquakes trigger eruptions?. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-earthquakes-trigger-volcanic-eruptions
[13] Seropian et al.. A review framework of how earthquakes trigger volcanic eruptions. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21166-8
[14] USGS. Effects of earthquakes on groundwater. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-does-earthquake-affect-groundwater-levels-and-water-quality-wells
[15] USGS. Groundwater-Level Response to Earthquakes. https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/groundwater-level-response-earthquakes
[16] USGS. Seismic hydrogeochemical responses in karstic aquifers. https://www.usgs.gov/publications/towards-understanding-hydrogeochemical-seismic-responses-karst-aquifers-a
[17] USGS. Can an earthquake be predicted?. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-you-predict-earthquakes
[18] USGS. Is natural seismic activity increasing?. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/why-are-we-having-so-many-or-so-few-earthquakes-has-naturally-occurring-earthquake-activity
[19] CDC. Safety Guidelines: During an Earthquake. https://www.cdc.gov/earthquakes/safety/stay-safe-during-an-earthquake.html
[20] USGS. What to do during an earthquake. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-should-i-do-during-earthquake
[21] USGS. Triangle of life: assessment. https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-emergency-supplies-do-i-need-earthquake
[22] CDC. Safety Guidelines: After an Earthquake. https://www.cdc.gov/earthquakes/safety/stay-safe-after-an-earthquake.html
[23] USGS. Seismic Hazard, Risk, and Design for South America. https://www.usgs.gov/data/seismic-hazard-risk-and-design-south-america
[24] Pérez et al.. Microseismicity, tectonics and seismic potential in southern Caribbean and northern Venezuela. https://earthjay.com/earthquakes/20180821_venezuela/prez_etal_1997_tectonics_caribbean_venezuela.pdf
[25] Audemard. Revised seismic history of the El Pilar fault. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-007-9064-2
[26] Audemard et al.. The 1900 Mw 7.6 earthquake offshore north-central Venezuela. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2015.03.011
[27] Altez. New interpretations of the social and material impacts of the 1812 earthquake. https://doi.org/10.1130/2010.2471(05)
[28] USGS. 1999 Vargas landslides and debris flows. https://doi.org/10.3133/i2772
END OF REPORT
Version 1.0 - information cut-off: August 8, 2026