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Two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela last week, leaving over 70,000 families affected amid a long-simmering crisis. Here’s what you need to know – and how you can help.
On June 24, two devastating earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela, registering at 7.2 and 7.5, respectively, on the Richter scale. The 7.5-magnitude quake was the largest that the country has experienced since 1900.
Initial figures are already painting a devastating picture, with over 70,000 families affected, many of whom had been struggling with a protracted crisis that began long before this year and has resulted in high inflation rates and few coping mechanisms to financially-vulnerable families.
Here’s what you need to know about what’s going on in Venezuela, and what Concern is doing to help.
1. These are the two strongest earthquakes to hit Venezuela in more than a century – and they happened less than a minute apart
The two earthquakes that hit Venezuela last Wednesday took place 39 seconds apart from one another, shortly after 6pm local time. The epicentre of both quakes was off the country’s northern coast, some 28-30 km northwest of the state of Carabobo, however the effect of the tremors was felt some 180 km away in the capital of Caracas and surrounding states, where buildings collapsed and power was interrupted.
To compare this to other catastrophic earthquakes in recent memory, Nepal’s Gorkha Earthquake was a magnitude of 7.8, as was the 2023 Türkiye-Syria quake. Haiti’s catastrophic 2010 earthquake registered at 7.0. Last year’s earthquake in Myanmar was 7.7. Venezuela experienced two earthquakes within this range of magnitudes in less than one minute. The 7.5-magnitude quake was the strongest to hit the country since 1900.
2. An estimated 70,000 families have been affected
While initial casualty and damage figures are still being estimated, initial estimates from Monday, June 29 suggest at least 1,450 people have died, while 3,150 were injured and over 12,700 were displaced. At least 774 buildings have collapsed – including more than 100 in the La Guaira region alone.
Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, added on Friday that at least 70,000 families have been affected by the disaster.
3. Venezuela has declared a state of emergency
Initial reports place the greatest damage in the region of La Guaira and the capital of Caracas. More than 100 buildings collapsed in the La Guaira region alone (whose capital city of the same name is a major port for Venezuela). Caracas’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International, was temporarily closed but is now partially reopened and accommodating humanitarian flights.
With over 2.2 million residents, Caracas is the largest city in Venezuela and needs are extremely high as a result of the damage. In neighbourhoods hit hardest by last week’s earthquakes, thousands of families have slept in makeshift shelters on the streets over the last week, fearing further collapse. These fears aren’t unfounded: Both La Guaira city and Caracas were affected by a further aftershock on June 29 that registered somewhere between 4.6 and 5.1.
4. The country was facing humanitarian challenges before the earthquakes hit
Last week’s earthquakes add to an already deep humanitarian crisis in Venezuela: At the beginning of 2026, 7.9 million people across the country required assistance, with 1.4 million urgently prioritised for assistance by the United Nations.
The country has faced sustained economic and political challenges that have left many of the most vulnerable families struggling to cope amid inflation projected to reach triple digits. In late 2025, a basic food basket for a family of five was estimated to cost $586 USD – well beyond the means of most families, who have also faced gaps in healthcare, water, education, energy, and social protection.
Humanitarian aid in Venezuela was also affected by cuts to foreign assistance in 2025. Last year’s official humanitarian response plan was only 17% funded, making it one of the least-funded appeals in the world according to the UN.
5. Immediate action is needed to prevent further disaster
With needs already critical, this latest setback threatens an already-strained support system, particularly for families who are already furthest behind. “Now is the time for action,” said Tom Fletcher, head of the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The more timely an emergency humanitarian response, the more effective it often is, and the more economically it can be addressed. Venezuelans need immediate access to safe shelter, household essentials, protection and support for children. They also need clean water and sanitation to prevent the spread of disease – a key concern after any earthquake and one that the World Health Organisation has warned about particularly in Venezuela, where the health system has struggled over the last 25 years.
The more we act now, the more we can prevent this crisis from becoming even more dire.
Concern’s response to the Northern Venezuela Earthquake
Concern is supporting our Alliance2015 partners who are already on the ground in Venezuela, working alongside local organisations to reach families in need. In these critical early days of the response, we’re helping to provide:
- Safe shelter for people who have lost their homes
- Essential food and household items including blankets, hygiene supplies, and cooking basics
- Clean water and sanitation to prevent the spread of waterborne illnesses
- Protection and support for children to keep them safe
Your donation to Concern’s emergency appeal for Venezuela can help us to reach more at this critical point in time. Please donate today.
