Trinidad and Tobago’s coast line lifted by 20 feet after massive quakes in Venezuela

Trinidad and Tobago: As a result of Venezuela’s destructive twin earthquakes, a portion of Trinidad’s south-western coast was lifted nearly 20 feet upwards which resulted in hundreds of sea animals being trapped among the rubble within a few seconds.

The thrust was first discovered by the residents along an isolated strip of the Galfa coast in Cedros on the morning after the earthquakes.

Small pools of water were also formed along the displaced beach, with some holding natural oil. Oceanic creatures such as clams, fishes, crabs, and stingrays were seen dying on the elevated shoreline

According to Geologist Xavier Moonan, the uplift was likely a ‘reactive slump’, which is caused due to shaking and physical shifting of saturated soil and rocks. He explained that the beach was lifted upwards because the hillside was tilted downwards. This happened so quickly that it caught marine life off guard. Boulders rolled and crushed stingrays and other creatures before they could escape.

Moonan also cited a similar incident in that area in 2018 following a 6.9 magnitude earthquake, and another event which occurred last year when an up-thrust was observed due to activity near the Los Iros mud volcano.

He said that the local fault lines and the weaker zones make the area highly vulnerable to movement when tremors from Venezuela spread across the region.

A local resident identified as Kamal, who visited the site, said that he felt delusional because the coast line seemed to have been raised. He said that the whole area was supposed to be flat but within just a fraction of seconds everything rose. “If it was something gradual, the fish would have escaped,” he added.

Fortunately there were no homes or farms in the affected area, but a building owned by an oil company did experience some damage from the event. The geologist warned that the area remains unstable. He said that the shifting faults have opened up and allowed oil to seep to the surface and advised the residents to stay careful because the cliffs will eventually collapse regardless of any measures.

Neil Sookram, a Cedros resident, who runs a YouTube channel, said that when he visited that area, he found the beach completely lifted, and dead fishes trapped beneath the rubble. “I saw what looked like an elevated beach,” he said.