Venezuelans demand more government aid after twin earthquakes
Families in La Guaira were still waiting for shelter and aid five days after twin quakes, even as the UN said nearly 7 million people may have been affected.
Families in La Guaira were still waiting for shelter and other aid five days after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026. The UN said officials were still identifying places to house people who lost their homes or could not safely return, a sign of how far the response lagged behind the damage.
The first quake measured about magnitude 7.2, and a larger one followed roughly 39 seconds later at about magnitude 7.5. The U.S. Geological Survey issued red PAGER alerts for both, warning of likely high loss of life and extensive damage across a widespread disaster area.
The humanitarian toll quickly widened. The UN said nearly 7 million people may have been affected, while UNICEF put 680,000 children among 1.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Damage to hospitals, schools and water systems worsened conditions for more than 3,100 families that the UN said were affected.
Search and rescue teams from 27 countries, including more than 2,200 rescuers and 140 search dogs, worked alongside Venezuelan authorities to look for people trapped under rubble. In La Guaira, the hardest-hit state, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Gianluca Rampolla said neighbors, volunteers and international rescue teams had mobilized, but the immediate need for shelter was still outpacing the official response.
The U.S. Department of State said it was deploying a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team and urban search-and-rescue teams, and was working with Global Empowerment Mission and Walmart to deliver relief supplies. The mismatch between the scale of the destruction and the speed of aid has fueled frustration in quake-hit communities, where some areas were still waiting for government assistance as recovery efforts dragged on.
The twin earthquakes also revived memories of a September 2025 earthquake sequence in western Venezuela that injured more than 110 people and caused extensive damage. With another major disaster now exposing the same vulnerabilities, pressure is mounting on Caracas to move faster on shelter, medical care and other basic support before temporary displacement turns into a longer crisis.
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