A series of strong earthquakes struck multiple regions across the globe within 12 hours, with the strongest a magnitude 6.5 earthquake off the coast of the southern Philippines.

The USGS recorded 11 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or higher during the period, affecting countries across Asia, Oceania, Central America and the Caribbean. The events ranged from magnitude 4.6 to 6.5, highlighting the concentration of seismic activity along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where tectonic plates frequently interact.

The largest event was a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck 34 kilometres west-southwest of Sarangani, Philippines , at a depth of 42 kilometres.

The quake occurred in a region that is among the world's most seismically active due to the interaction of the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The USGS assigned the event a Green PAGER alert, indicating that widespread fatalities or major economic losses were unlikely.

The tremor came less than three weeks after a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Mindanao on June 8, underscoring the region's continued seismic activity.

Japan recorded two earthquakes exceeding magnitude 5 during the same period.

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck near Yokoshiba at a depth of 43 kilometres, followed later by a magnitude 5.7 event near Oshino at 50.9 kilometres depth, according to the USGS.

Japan sits atop the convergence of four major tectonic plates and experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, making it one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

Elsewhere, the USGS recorded:

Most of these earthquakes occurred along active plate boundaries, particularly around the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped belt that accounts for roughly 90% of the world's earthquakes and about 75% of active volcanoes, according to the USGS.

Why earthquakes cluster along the Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire stretches around the Pacific Ocean through the Americas, East Asia and Oceania. Continuous movement of tectonic plates causes frequent earthquakes as plates collide, separate or slide past one another.

Countries such as Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand routinely experience significant seismic activity because they lie directly on these plate boundaries.

“We are here accompanying our people in the search and rescue of people who were trapped by structures and buildings that collapsed. We are accompanying the families; we extend our solidarity and hope to recover as many people alive as possible,” she said.

Authorities have identified La Guaira as one of the hardest-hit areas, with extensive damage reported to hotels, homes and tourist buildings. Rescue teams continue to search through the rubble for survivors.

Rodríguez also announced that Venezuela had requested international assistance to strengthen rescue operations.

“We have requested international help. The first rescuers arriving from the Dominican Republic are already about to land, and in the coming hours, others will arrive from the rest of the countries of the international community,” she said.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela within seconds of each other. The first measured magnitude 7.2, followed by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. The epicentres were located near Morón, west of Caracas, at shallow depths.

Emergency authorities continue to assess the damage as search-and-rescue operations remain underway in the affected regions.