The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is scaling up services to support survivors of the two deadly earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24th.

Severe damage across Venezuela and over 3,600 deaths and 16,000 injuries have been reported, with the tolls expected to rise. Approximately 30,000 people are missing.

Immense devastation has been reported—more than 750 buildings have collapsed while the national water system has failed across seven states. Nearly 18,000 people have lost their homes.

These earthquakes have worsened the existing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which, combined with recent cuts to humanitarian aid, will make the response even more difficult.

Donate now to support the IRC as we deliver humanitarian assistance in Venezuela and to communities facing crises around the world.

What you need to know about the earthquakes in Venezuela

Two deadly earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck about 100 miles west of Caracas, Venezuela, on June 24th. They are the largest to strike the area in more than a century.

There have been more than 3,600 confirmed fatalities and over 16,000 injuries. Both figures are expected to rise as rescue crews search through the debris of collapsed buildings.

IRC teams and partners on the ground in Caracas and La Guaira report tens of thousands of people still missing beneath collapsed buildings, and survivors across multiple states struggle to find safe drinking water. Air quality in rubble zones has severely deteriorated due to concrete dust and unrecovered remains.

With nearly 18,000 people having lost their homes, many survivors are sheltering outdoors rather than risk returning to structurally compromised buildings. The fear is acute—more than 1,000 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial quakes struck, and seismologists warn they could continue for three to six months.

Venezuela’s national water system has been severely compromised, creating concerns of the rapid spread of waterborne and airborne disease—a risk that will only intensify as the initial rescue phase winds down and international attention wanes.

 Schools in affected areas have been turned into emergency shelters, housing entire families who left their homes in seconds with only the clothes on their backs. There is a shortage of everything: food, medicine, basic supplies.

"What we are seeing is catastrophic," said Nicole Kast, IRC Venezuela Country Director. 

"People have lost everything in a matter of seconds, and the need for immediate support is overwhelming. In some of the hardest-hit areas, damaged infrastructure and limited civil response capacity mean people may be trapped and unable to reach safety or be reached by those trying to help. We are working to get supplies to frontline workers as fast as possible so that lives can be saved."

The IRC is scaling its response as field teams report the full scale of destruction becoming clearer with each passing hour. 

A family sits outside of a building destroyed by the earthquake in Venezuela.
Two severe earthquakes rocked Venezuela on June 24th, leaving over 3,600 dead and over 16,000 injured. The IRC is prepared to scale up its response for survivors.
Photo: Federico PARRA / AFP via Getty Images

Venezuela’s public health emergency

The IRC has warned that a public health emergency is unfolding in Venezuela following the earthquakes. Thirty-eight hospitals were damaged by the earthquakes, and at least 20 health facilities are now facing severe shortages of vital medical supplies.

As health needs surge, the capacity to meet them has diminished. With only one health care worker per 1,700 people in some of the worst affected areas, local systems are struggling to provide emergency assistance to the more than 16,000 people injured in the earthquakes.

The IRC is prioritizing health services both in stationary centers and mobile units to meet people where they are, focusing on displaced people, the elderly, those with mobility issues, and children who may not be able to get themselves to health facilities.

IRC staff pack emergency supplies in boxes for survivors of the earthquakes in Venezuela.
IRC staff members prepare to distribute kits of emergency supplies to communities affected by the earthquakes.
Photo: IRC

Earthquakes worsen Venezuela's existing humanitarian crisis

Even before these earthquakes, nearly 8 million people inside Venezuela were already in need of urgent humanitarian support. Public systems have been overstretched and many struggle to meet even their most basic needs. With national services under significant strain, essential rescue and recovery efforts may take weeks if not months. 

Multi-year resource constraints, coupled with road closures, power outages, and communication disruptions, are creating logistical barriers for aid delivery. In addition, Venezuela has been seriously impacted by aid cuts over the past year, limiting its capacity to respond to growing humanitarian needs.

Two IRC staff members assess the ruins of a building destroyed by the earthquakes in Venezuela.
IRC staff members assess damages in La Guaira, Venezuela, one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquakes.
Photo: IRC

The IRC is scaling up emergency services to reach survivors

The IRC has been working in Venezuela since 2021 and reached more than 75,000 people with vital humanitarian assistance in 2025. As the full extent of the destruction becomes clear, the IRC is scaling up its response to deliver life-saving assistance to those who need it most.

The IRC’s emergency response to the earthquakes is focused on:

In addition to our emergency response, the IRC has been delivering humanitarian services in Venezuela since 2021, including: 

We urge the international community to urgently scale up humanitarian funding and support to Venezuelans impacted by the ongoing crisis and widespread impact of these earthquakes.

Donate now to help reach survivors of the Venezuelan earthquakes

IRC teams are on the ground in Venezuela delivering urgent health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene services. Your donation supports the IRC as we scale up humanitarian services in Venezuela.

 More about the IRC

The International Rescue Committee has over 90 years of experience helping people affected by crisis in more than 40 countries to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. We also help refugees and displaced people resettle and integrate into new communities in the U.S. and across Europe.

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