Venezuela: Deadly earthquake will deepen suffering

“What NRC aid workers witness on the ground in and around Caracas is devastation beyond belief in the wake of the major earthquakes that had their epicentre West of Venezuela’s capital. The deadly earthquake struck in the evening of a national holiday, when many families were at home. The NRC office building in Caracas sustained damage, but thankfully all our staff are safe and accounted for. 

“This earthquake will deepen the suffering for millions already in dire need. More than a quarter of the country’s population needed urgent aid even before the earthquakes. 

“NRC has been working in Venezuela for more than two decades and will provide emergency relief to the countless families that have lost their homes and property and have seen loved one perish in the rubble. We are currently assessing the most urgent needs and will seek funding from donor nations and the private sector to scale up our support for those most severely stricken.

“The deep suffering of the crisis-engulfed people in Venezuela has been neglected for too long. For the last three years aid workers on the ground have received less than a third of the funding needed for providing even the minimum of humanitarian relief needed. Donors must urgently step up support as this earthquake has become a catastrophe on top of a crisis. There can be no delay in this support. National authorities and the international community must step up their cooperation immediately to provide relief and enable a viable plan for much needed reconstruction.”

Notes to editors:

• On the evening of 24 June, Venezuela was hit by two back-to-back earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the earthquakes is close to the capital Caracas, which was seen significant damage including to NRC’s office. Significant damage has also been witnessed in areas across the north of the country with the earthquake felt as far away as Bogota, Colombia.
• In 2026, 7.9 million people in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance, 27.7 per cent of the total population (28.5 million people) (OCHA). 5.5 million of them have been targeted for assistance.
• The humanitarian response plan in Venezuela is currently 23.2 per cent funded with 146.9 million of the 632.2 million US dollars required having been delivered (OCHA).
• The 2025 humanitarian response plan in Venezuela was just 20 per cent funded, while the 2024 plan was 28 per cent funded (OCHA).
• NRC has been working in Venezuela since 2005 providing education, protection, legal guidance, and water and sanitation support. In 2025 we reached more than 65,000 people across four states.
   

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

• NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329