Section of Galfa Shoreline In Cedros Rises Nearly 20 Feet In Aftermath of Venezuela Earthquakes
UPDATE (06/07/26): Hundreds of people have been flocking to the site of the recent geological activity at Galfa, Cedros, to witness the beach lifted by the deadly Venezuela earthquakes. Dozens of families were observed at the site on Saturday 4th July, 2026, some with babies, children and even pets, all eager to witness the extraordinary changes to the coastline. The curious visitors reportedly spent hours taking photographs, recording videos, posing for selfies and conducting their own close-up inspections of what has become one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most remarkable natural phenomena.
What was once an ordinary stretch of coastline has suddenly become an unexpected tourist attraction, with vehicles arriving steadily throughout the day as people from across the country made the long journey to Southwest Trinidad.
A woman who travelled from Mon Repos, San Fernando, said she simply had to experience the site for herself after seeing continuous reports in the media. “I just wanted to see it with my own eyes,” she said. Meanwhile, a man from Barrackpore, who visited with his wife and children, said the site had the potential to become a significant attraction if managed properly.
UPDATE (01/07/26): According to the UWI Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC), a team of its staff visited the Galfa Point/L’Envieuse to conduct fieldwork on ground deformation recorded at the site on Saturday 27th June, 2026. “Preliminary assessment of data gathered at the Galfa Point/L’Envieuse ground deformation site suggests that the event was indeed triggered by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 Venezuelan earthquakes. This event bears similarity to the ground deformation that occurred at Los Iros following the magnitude 6.9 event in 2018. Both events occurred due to the seismic characteristic and geology of the sites.”
The UWI-SRC added, “As we continue to assess the data, as well as drone footage of the area, we will provide a more comprehensive technical report on the ground deformation observed.”
Following the pair of powerful earthquakes that devastated Venezuela on 24th June, 2026, part of Trinidad’s Southwest coastline has been found dramatically reshaped. The quakes apparently caused a section of the Galfa shoreline in Cedros to rise nearly twenty (20) feet above its previous level — a change which may have occurred within seconds on the previously flat terrain.
Large cracks were first seen along the shore on Saturday (27th June, 2026). The sudden uplift is sad to have left hundreds of marine animals, including fish, crabs, clams and stingrays, stranded on dry land, with many crushed beneath rocks or dying after being trapped and unable to return to water.
Geologists believe the dramatic change was caused by a reactivated geological slump triggered by the massive 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela. Only 11 kilometers (7 miles) separate Venezuela and Trinidad at their closest points.
The intense shaking caused unstable ground to shift, lifting part of the beach and seabed out of the ocean almost instantly. The upheaval also exposed bubbling pools and natural oil seeps along the shoreline, indicating that underground faults were disturbed during the seismic event.
While no homes were affected, minor damage was reported to a nearby oil company facility, and the public is being urged to avoid the area because of the risk of further ground movement.
Experts note that similar coastal movement occurred after a strong earthquake rocked Trinidad in 2018, and warn that sections of the Southwest peninsula remain geologically unstable.
More on this as it becomes available.
[Source: Ian Alleyne]
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