Venezuela | Earthquake - Operation Update #2 (MDRVE015)

Country: Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. A. SITUATION ANALYSIS Description of the crisis On 24 June 2026, two powerful earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela in rapid succession; with the first one reaching a 7.2 magnitude, and a second one of 7.5 magnitude taking place approximately 39 seconds later. The epicentres were located near Morón and Yumare, in the states of Carabobo and Yaracuy, west of Caracas. USGS analysis confirmed the epicentre of the second earthquake to be approximately 17 km west of Catia La Mar, off the coast of La Guaira State1. Authorities have reported 1,463 aftershocks since the event, creating a high risk of further structural collapse2. The impact was severe and widespread, with tremors felt across much of the country, including the Capital District, La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, Falcón, and neighbouring states. The earthquakes were also felt beyond Venezuela, including parts of Colombia, the Caribbean and northern Brazil, highlighting the exceptional geographic extent of the seismic event3. The Government of Venezuela declared a National State of Emergency the same day and designated La Guaira, where the greatest concentration of damaged infrastructure and rescue operations was concentrated, as a disaster zone. According to the Global Disaster Awareness and Coordination System (GDACS) approximately 530,000 were exposed to extreme earthquake intensity. The scale of the disaster led to a significant expansion of international humanitarian presence in the country. On 15 July, the United Nations announced an addendum to the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), increasing financial requirements and expanding the number of people targeted for assistance for their overall humanitarian response to Venezuela (which extends beyond those affected by the earthquakes). The event occurred during the San Juan festivities, a national celebration that attracts large numbers of people to coastal areas; and as many workplaces were closed, this also led to families having many or all members present inside their home when the earthquakes happened. In La Guaira State, a popular beachside destination to spend this festivity, this resulted in higher population concentrations in public spaces and along the coastline at the time of the event, increasing the number of people potentially exposed to the impacts of the earthquakes. La Guaira also serves multiple critical functions for the country given very close proximity to the Capital, Caracas. It hosts the country’s main international airport (Maiquetía) and one of its major ports, making it a strategic transportation, logistics, trade, tourism, fishing and service hub. Consequently, the incident impacted not only local communities and visitors present, but also essential infrastructure and activities that facilitate connectivity and the supply of goods to the capital and other regions of the country. This increases the number of people with secondary affectations and the extent of logistical capacity impacted. As of 3 August, 6,125 people were reported dead, 16,740 injured, 6,462 rescued and approximately 17,907 had lost their homes due to severe damage to housing.4 The United Nations interagency indicated that tens of thousands of people remained unaccounted for during the response period; while many families including from those having opened tracing requests with the RCRC system have reported having been able to reunite with their loved ones in the days and weeks following the disaster. Efforts to identify and notify direct family members of persons hospitalized and persons deceased also continue. It is expected for the death toll to continue to rise as the Search and Rescue phase focused on extraction of survivors has moved towards a focus on recovery, identification and dignified return of bodies retrieved from collapsed structures to their family members.5 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams operating under the coordination of the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) have now concluded their assignment. Response teams from over 29 countries deployed to Venezuela, including the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team and multiple RCRC Movement specialized teams such as the USAR teams of the Mexican RC, Colombian RC, Costa Rican RC who deployed in support of Venezuelan RC search & rescue efforts. The initial response focused on search, recovery, debris-removal, and initial shelter provision has now shifted towards bridging emergency relief to rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts under national leadership, with a broad range of bilateral and multilateral support focused on humanitarian assistance, restoration of essential services and recovery. According to OCHA, 2,501 infrastructure assets had sustained some degree of damage, with 856 affected buildings, including 190 that have collapsed.6 On 21 July, the Venezuelan President of the Presidential Commission for the Assessment of Infrastructure Habitability reported that 6,907 buildings had been inspected in La Guaira using the traffic light assessment methodology to determine the condition of structures. Of the total inspected, 3,237 received a green tag indicating that the infrastructure poses no risk; 1,785 structures received a yellow tag indicating restricted use; and 1,885 were classified with a red tag indicating high risk. Structures assigned yellow or red classifications are now undergoing a secondary more thorough assessment7. Disruptions of electricity, water-supply, telecommunications and transport systems caused by the earthquakes are undergoing repair to continue restoring functionality across the affected areas. Damaged roads and bridges have also affected movement to and within some affected areas; prompting authorities to relocate mobile bridges to facilitate access while repairs are finalized. Public transportation and airport operations are also under repair, with Maiquetia International Airport (which was severely damaged) expected to resume use for commercial cargo flights in the coming weeks. Commercial international passenger flights remain operating mostly in and out of Valencia airport, located approximately 2 hours out of the capital. Humanitarian cargo donated by Governments bilaterally to the Venezuelan Authorities, and through humanitarian actors, continues to flow in country through air, sea and land shipments. In terms of essential services, healthcare capacity has been particularly including given the mass scale needs following the rapid onset emergency (trauma injuries), as well as given rates of chronic illness among displaced communities and affectations to water supply and sanitation services. More than 400 schools were also reported as affected, while some have been assigned as temporary shelters while authorities assign free permanent housing units and/or transitional single-family homes until the academic cycle resumes after the summer. To this end, Venezuelan authorities have already provided 240 permanent housing units to affected families; and while land & public housing infrastructure is evaluated and attributed for the assignment of additional seismic resistant units entirely free of charge, they have also enabled a parallel option for affected families who prefer to buy existing homes from the private market (whereby 80% of the price is subsidized by the government and the 20% remaining be granted on 25-year-loans extended by the local banking system.) The physical impacts on affected people remain significant, with many requiring continued medical care, rehabilitation or referral services, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. Many families have experienced loss and grief, injury, displacement, separation from relatives and loss of homes, livelihoods and community support networks. The magnitude of the tragedy on human terms, continued aftershocks, displacement from damaged homes, and exposure to destroyed environments and recovery operations contributed to heightened levels of stress, anxiety and sadness among the affected population. The earthquakes have resulted in grave humanitarian needs while exacerbating existing vulnerabilities, which increases the severity and complexity of the situation for the affected communities. This context reinforces the need for a response that addresses immediate lifesaving needs while supporting early recovery and strengthening community resilience.
2026-08-13 02:40:51