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Venezuela Earthquakes

Members of the Venezuelan Red Cross supporting search and rescue efforts.

Photo: Venezuelan Red Cross

Last Updated: July 28, 2026

Two of the strongest earthquakes in over a century struck north central Venezuela on June 24, 2026, causing the country’s most catastrophic disaster in decades. The earthquakes occurred 39 seconds apart and caused structural damage to hundreds of buildings in La Guaira and Greater Caracas. One month later, the emergency is far from over. Power, telecommunications and transport systems have been disrupted, and key health and transport infrastructure have sustained critical damage. 

How the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement is helping people impacted by the earthquakes in Venezuela

The Venezuelan Red Cross has been responding since the earthquakes hit.

Despite being affected by the earthquakes – including damage to its National Headquarters - the Venezuelan Red Cross quickly mobilized response efforts, providing critical relief to people impacted.

With support from Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, Venezuelan Red Cross staff and volunteers are:

  • Reuniting separated families 
  • Operating a field hospital and first aid stations in La Guaira
  • Providing emergency health care, such as support for injuries, emotional well-being, and mental health
  • Providing access to safe water, sanitation systems, and other essential household items.
  • Teams continue to help people stay informed by sharing accurate and trusted earthquake safety information.

In the initial days and weeks after the earthquakes, the Venezuelan Red Cross:

  • Supported search and rescue operations, with help from other National Societies
  • Sent out four damage and needs assessment teams the night of the earthquake to the worst affected areas
  • Provided ambulance services
  • Cared for the injured at its network of hospitals and clinics

How the Canadian Red Cross is supporting the Venezuela Earthquakes response

  • The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) is mobilizing its global response tools to support the operation. This includes an allocation from the IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), to which the Canadian Red Cross and Government of Canada contribute.
  • The Canadian Red Cross worked with the German Red Cross to have pre-positioned medications in Venezuela available for use during emergencies. These are available for the Venezuelan Red Cross to use as part of their response efforts.
  • The Canadian Red Cross has a long history of working with our partners in the Americas.
  • To date, with support from donors and the Government of Canada, the Canadian Red Cross has provided funds for an IFRC shipment of 5,700 items. These items include:
    • Tarpaulins
    • Water filters
    • Blankets
    • Foldable beds
    • Cleaning kits
  • The items above landed in Venezuela 48 hours after the earthquake’s impact. When emergencies of this size and scale occur, resources are quickly spread thin. Emergency stocks are an important part of sustaining and scaling up lifesaving assistance.
  • Two Canadian Red Cross humanitarian experts have been mobilized to support the IFRC response in health and shelter coordination.
  • The Canadian Red Cross worked with the Portuguese Red Cross to mobilize emergency stocks to Venezuela. The stocks include blankets, bedding materials, and hygiene kits for men, women, infants and families.
  • The Canadian Red Cross has provided funds to the Mexican Red Cross urban search and rescue team, which supported the search and rescue efforts in the early hours of the response.

We remain in close contact with our Red Cross Red Crescent Movement partners and stand ready to provide further support as needed.

How you can help people impacted by the earthquakes in Venezuela

People in Canada wishing to help are encouraged to make a donation to the Canadian Red Cross Venezuela Earthquakes Appeal.

Donate Now

Money raised will enable the Red Cross to support immediate relief, recovery efforts, resilience, and preparedness activities for future events in impacted and surrounding areas. As urgent needs are met in this crisis, funds may be used to support readiness to respond quickly to future disasters.