Published on: 2026-06-26
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
June 26, 2026 Humanitarian aid
The number of victims of the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela continues to grow. According to the latest data, at least 235 people have died, and search and rescue operations are ongoing: people can still be found under the rubble. Representatives of the UN humanitarian agencies warn that the consequences of the disaster could affect up to 6.8 million people.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 41,000 missing persons reports have been received through a special online portal.
Rescuing people remains the main task
The Director for Emergency Situations in the field of health of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Ciro Ugarte, noted, speaking at a briefing in Geneva, that assessing the scale of the disaster is currently difficult due to the inaccessibility of the affected areas and disruptions in communications.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and PAHO have already sent teams of specialists to Venezuela who are providing support to local authorities.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) supports the deployment of international search and rescue teams. Twenty-five groups totaling about a thousand rescuers have been sent to the country, including certified teams from Chile, Colombia, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Qatar, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Additional units are arriving from El Salvador and Mexico.
In addition, the UNHCR is sending a group of UN experts to Venezuela to assess the consequences of humanitarian disasters and coordinate international aid, which will assist the search and rescue organization.
Millions of children are starving in the disaster zone
According to estimates by the UNICEF Children’s Fund, approximately 3.9 million children live in the area affected by earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.5 and 7.2. Many families are in urgent need of assistance.
At UNICEF, they warn that children are especially vulnerable after such a disaster. They risk getting injured, being separated from their families, losing access to medical care, clean water, education, and protection.
People are afraid to go home
According to the director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for the Americas, Lois Pease, many residents still fear going back to their homes.
“They ran away without any belongings, and now practically nothing functions the way it used to. Our main task is to provide people with the most essential things for survival,” she told journalists in Geneva.
Siro Ugarte emphasized that the priority now remains saving lives and providing emergency medical assistance.
“The main task is to provide urgent medical assistance as quickly as possible and save as many people as possible, because the first hours after the earthquake are crucial,” noted the representative of PAOZ.
According to him, medical teams work under conditions of enormous strain, providing assistance to victims with fractures, burns, and other serious injuries sustained during the collapse of buildings. At the same time, reaching many settlements and medical facilities remains extremely difficult.
Reports have been received that rescuers are conducting excavations by hand in some earthquake-affected areas.
Long-term assistance
IOM representative Zoe Brennan noted that people who have lost all their belongings need temporary housing, clean water, access to sanitation, medical assistance, protection, and basic necessities. Further support will be required to help families restore their homes, return water sources, and rebuild a normal life in decent conditions.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that after the earthquake in the country, previously imposed restrictions on access to the Internet and digital platforms were lifted.
“We again call for measures to protect the digital space and to guarantee people’s right to receive information, freedom of expression, and access to digital mass media in Venezuela,” said Marta Urtado, a representative of the Department.
Please note; this information is unprocessed content received directly from the source of information. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.