Published on: 2026-06-29
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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Laura Kinones
June 28, 2026 Humanitarian Aid
Children make up about 680 thousand of the 1.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid after the devastating earthquakes that occurred in Venezuela on June 24. This was reported on Sunday by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Search and rescue operations continue.
The destruction of hospitals, schools, and water supply systems has further complicated the situation of affected families, many of whom were forced to leave their homes.
According to the latest official data, two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 have claimed at least 1,430 lives, with another 3,238 injured. More than 3,100 families have been affected. Authorities continue to assess the scale of the destruction, and repeated aftershocks prevent any claims of complete safety in the affected areas.
Searches continue
On Saturday, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela, Gianluca Rampolla, made his first trip to the state of La Guaira, which was most severely affected by the disaster. Alongside representatives from several UN agencies, he visited the most damaged areas and the coordination center for search and rescue operations.
The main task now is to save the people who are still trapped under the rubble
Together with the authorities, UN representatives also identified locations where aid points will be set up for families who have lost their homes or are currently unable to return home.
As Rampolla noted, despite the scale of destruction and the suffering of people, he was especially struck by the solidarity shown by local residents and volunteers, as well as rescuers who arrived from all over the world.
“The world’s attention is usually focused on bad news, but here we see an example of international solidarity and support for the Venezuelan people,” he said. “Right now, the main task is to save people who are still trapped under the rubble. That is why it is so important to support and coordinate the work of rescue teams arriving from all over the world. At the same time, it is necessary to help those who have already survived this tragedy.”
Specialists from 27 countries are participating in the search and rescue operation – more than 2,200 rescuers and 140 specially trained dogs. Their work is coordinated by the country’s authorities with the support of the UN.
A representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said that the searches are taking place in an atmosphere where hope intertwines with pain and fear of new underground tremors.
“People do not lose hope. Time passes, but all efforts are directed at saving human lives and helping the victims,” he said. “The sense of unity here is incredibly strong. The desire to find friends and loved ones gives people strength, although it coexists with pain, fear due to ongoing tremors, and a feeling of extreme vulnerability.”
Children are at the epicenter of the humanitarian crisis
New UNICEF assessments show that the consequences of the disaster go far beyond the destroyed buildings. For hundreds of thousands of children, the earthquake jeopardized access to medical care, safe drinking water, and education.
“Hospitals are operating at the limit of their capacity, thousands of children do not have reliable access to clean water, and many schools have suffered serious damage,” said Manuel Rodriguez Pumarol, UNICEF representative in Venezuela. “UNICEF, together with the government of Venezuela and partners, is scaling up assistance to children and their families. However, sustaining this work in the coming weeks will require stable funding.”
Hospitals are operating at full capacity, thousands of children lack reliable access to clean water, and many schools have suffered serious damage
According to the organization, damage to hospitals in the states of La Guaira, Carabobo, Aragua, Falcon, as well as in Caracas, hinders the provision of medical assistance to children and pregnant women.
In the capital, preliminary estimates indicate that 432 schools have been damaged – more than a third of all educational institutions in the region. The schools that survived are temporarily being used as shelters for families left homeless.
UNICEF has sent additional teams of specialists and humanitarian supplies to the affected areas to assist approximately 650,000 people, including 234,000 children. The support includes medical assistance, nutrition, provision of clean water and sanitation, child protection, and restoring access to education.
The first UNICEF plane carrying 20 tons of medicines and water supply and sanitation equipment arrived in Venezuela on Friday. A second batch of humanitarian cargo is expected in the coming days, which will be sent from UNICEF’s global logistics center in Copenhagen.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source asserts and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.