{"id":2208,"date":"2026-06-27T11:36:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=2208"},"modified":"2026-06-27T11:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T11:36:10","slug":"massive-quakes-in-venezuela-impacted-groundwater-levels-in-carolinas-usgs-learns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=2208","title":{"rendered":"Massive quakes in Venezuela impacted groundwater levels in Carolinas, USGS learns"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes recorded in Venezuela this week had a ripple effect 2,000 miles away in North and South Carolina, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.<\/p>\n

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Specifically, groundwater levels began fluctuating, monitoring data shows.<\/p>\n

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\u201cTriggered by the June 24, 2026, earthquakes this week in Venezuela, groundwater-level changes were recorded … in a USGS monitoring well near Anderson, South Carolina,\u201d the USGS reported in a June 26 Facebook post,<\/p>\n

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\u201cHow can this be? Seismic events release tremendous amounts of seismic energy. Seismic waves can travel thousands of miles, compressing and expanding aquifers as they pass, causing temporary fluctuations in groundwater levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The fluctuation is not considered a reason for alarm, experts say. Water levels in the test well near Anderson dropped by about two inches, data shows. The well is located within the Williamston town limits, about a 120-mile drive southwest from Charlotte.<\/p>\n

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The U.S. Geological Survey continuously monitors a network of groundwater wells across the country, and has previously noted water levels will change \u201cafter large earthquakes around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe most common groundwater-level response is a water-level oscillation. … Changes can be large enough to make a well flow at land surface, or to cause a well to go dry near an earthquake. Typically, however, the water-level changes are several feet or less,\u201d the USGS says.<\/p>\n

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\u201cRecovery to the pre-earthquake water level can be nearly instantaneous, or it may take as long as days or months, or may not recover at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The earthquakes and aftershocks in Venezuela have caused widespread devastation, with some cities losing more than one third of their structures, the United Nations reports. The death toll has risen \u201cto at least\u201d 235 people, officials say.<\/p>\n

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