Earthquakes in Venezuela: UN Intensifies Support for Relief Operations

Thursday 25 June 2026 - 17:15

The United Nations has strengthened its humanitarian response in Venezuela following the violent earthquakes that struck the northern part of the country on Wednesday night. In light of the extensive damage and the rapid increase in the number of casualties, UN agencies are coordinating their efforts with Venezuelan authorities to accelerate search, rescue, and assistance operations for affected populations.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has indicated that its teams are fully mobilized on the ground to assess the most urgent needs and organize an appropriate disaster response. The goal is to ensure prompt assistance for the victims while facilitating the delivery of aid to the most affected areas.

In this context, OCHA is also overseeing the deployment of international teams specialized in urban search and rescue operations, with support from the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group. This mobilization aims to strengthen local response capabilities in the critical hours following the disaster.

OCHA chief Tom Fletcher praised the numerous expressions of solidarity from the international community, while emphasizing that the coming days will be crucial to support the efforts led by Venezuelan authorities. He stressed the need for close coordination among different humanitarian actors to respond effectively to the emergency.

According to preliminary reports, the two powerful earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, which occurred less than a minute apart, have resulted in at least 164 deaths and 971 injuries. The tremors caused significant material damage in several regions of northern Venezuela, complicating access for rescuers.

This disaster occurs in an already fragile context. Even before the earthquakes, nearly eight million people were dependent on humanitarian assistance in the country. The United Nations now fears that this new crisis will exacerbate the difficulties faced by already vulnerable populations, thereby increasing the needs for health, shelter, food, and protection.