Some of the strongest earthquakes in a century rattled northcentral Venezuela in the early evening on June 24, 2026. Preliminary reports indicate that the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude tremors killed more than 160 people, injured nearly 1,000 and significantly damaged buildings and infrastructure.

Americares is responding to this crisis. Our emergency team, including staff from the region, is assessing urgent health needs for survivors. We are also coordinating our response with the Pan American Health Organization, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and other disaster response organizations.

The quakes could be felt across much of the country, including the capital of Caracas, La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo and neighboring states. Significant aftershocks are expected, posing additional risks to affected communities and emergency responders.

The Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency, search and rescue operations have been activated, and rapid damage assessments are underway.

Power and telecommunications interruptions have been reported. Critical damage has also been reported to essential social infrastructure, including the airport and hospitals, while public services are intermittent or completely disrupted.