Earthquake in Venezuela : SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL mobilizes

7 July 2026 

Almost two weeks after the earthquakes that devastated northern Venezuela, the death toll now stands at 3,535, with 16,740 people injured. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed or damaged, leaving thousands of families homeless. Displaced people are flocking to shelters, where SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL teams are working tirelessly to continue distributing hygiene kits and water. 

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At a temporary shelter in Caracas, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is carrying out rapid needs assessments amongst those affected. 

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In Catia la Mar, one of the towns hardest hit by the earthquakes, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL teams are delivering water by tanker.

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Water is being supplied to 500 households by water tanker in Vista al Mar, in the Catia la Mar area of La Guaira State. In this isolated area, residents rely heavily on the commercial district of Catia la Mar – which has been particularly hard hit by the earthquakes – to meet their needs. Since the earthquake, many residents have lost their jobs and no longer have access to food or water. 

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The state of La Guaira was the worst-affected area. There are now 350 households living in tents in Maiquetía, a coastal town, where SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is supplying residents with water via water tankers.

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 Distribution of essential hygiene items by SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL on 2 July in Maiquetía. 

2 July 2026 

One week after the double earthquake, the death toll has risen to 2,295, with more than 11,000 injured and tens of thousands of people still missing.

In the worst-hit areas, notably the states of La Guaira and Carabobo as well as the capital, Caracas, hundreds of collapsed buildings have trapped residents beneath the rubble. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to find any survivors, but hope is fading. 

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In an already extremely fragile humanitarian context, thousands of people have been left homeless, without electricity and without access to safe drinking water. Whilst many families have found shelter in temporary accommodation or relief centers, water, hygiene, and sanitation needs continue to grow. 

SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL’s teams are hard at work: they are distributing hygiene kits containing soap, sanitary products, hand sanitizer, nappies and other essential items. They are also carrying out assessments of water systems, particularly in health centers, and have begun supplying water via water tankers.   

“The situation is critical. The affected communities are in urgent need of drinking water, electricity, food and sanitation facilities, such as showers and toilets.” explains Alain Coutand.   

25 June 2026 

Shortly after 6 pm on 24 June 2026, two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck north-western Venezuela in quick succession. The tremors, which were felt as far away as Bogotá in Colombia, are the strongest to have hit the country in over a century. The provisional death toll stands at 164, with over 1,000 injured, but according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the human toll is likely to be much higher.