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[Paris, 26 June 2026] On Wednesday 24 June, Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes, which have left at least 235 people dead and 1,500 injured. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency. SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL’s teams are on the ground and ready to respond to the needs of the affected communities.
Two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, followed by around twenty aftershocks, struck Venezuela in quick succession on Wednesday evening. The epicenter of this double earthquake was in the north-west of the country, near the town of Morón and approximately 168 km from the capital, Caracas.
The tremors, which were felt as far away as Bogotá in Colombia, are the strongest to have struck the country in over a century. In Caracas, buildings collapsed, trapping residents under the rubble, and the international airport has closed due to extensive damage. The provisional death toll stands at 235, but according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the number of deaths is likely to be much higher.
“Our teams have extensive logistical expertise in the country, as well as in water, hygiene and sanitation. They are working to assess both the immediate needs of displaced people and the damage to essential infrastructure,” says Alain Coutand, Regional Director at SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL.
Following the earthquakes, the teams will carry out emergency assessments, particularly in areas where communities are most vulnerable. These assessments will focus on essential needs, including water, hygiene, and sanitation for displaced populations, as well as infrastructure requiring repairs.
“Access to safe drinking water and decent hygiene conditions is our top priority in the early stages of the response,” adds Alain Coutand.
A more in-depth technical analysis of the infrastructure will then be carried out, in coordination with other humanitarian organizations and the local authorities responsible for the response, with a view to identifying the rehabilitation needs of water systems in health centers.
SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL, which has been present in Venezuela since 2019, is working in a context marked by a prolonged economic and humanitarian crisis. The earthquakes have now compounded an already extremely fragile humanitarian situation, further exacerbating extremely precarious living conditions.
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