Venezuela Earthquake Emergency

The earthquakes have devastated daily life across northern Venezuela. They have caused widespread destruction, displacement and disruption of essential services including water, electricity and telecommunications. More than 2,500 structures have been damaged, including over 700 buildings and 38 hospitals – with La Guaira hardest hit.

The scale of the destruction has left more than 12,800 people displaced. Thirteen temporary collective shelters have been set up so far to support those affected.

Help is most urgently needed in La Guaira, Caracas and Miranda, where UNHCR is running rapid assessments to identify gaps and protection risks as displacement continues to evolve.

Protection sits at the centre of the response, as UNHCR scales up support for people facing family separation (including unaccompanied minors), violence, loss of documentation or limited access to services. This includes legal assistance, helping replace essential documents and working with local communities to strengthen local support systems.

Mental health and psychosocial support are woven throughout the response, helping people cope with what they’ve experienced and begin to recover.

As needs evolve on the ground, UNHCR’s field presence is monitoring displacement and mapping available services so that support reaches the most vulnerable first.

UNHCR has mobilised emergency assistance from both regional and national stockpiles. On 1 July, a 20-metric-tonne shipment of core relief items was airlifted from UNHCR’s stockpiles in Panama. The shipment included family tents, solar lamps, blankets, mosquito nets and other core relief items.

UNHCR is on the ground across the region and is working with the Government to scale up assistance to those affected. Leading on the protection response, UNHCR is establishing support and protection services through a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach within government-managed camps in the heavily affected La Guaira.

Working with partners, UNHCR also provides legal support, such as informing families of their right to seek asylum.

To help promote the integration of refugees in their host communities, UNHCR assists with vocational training for Venezuelans.

UNHCR’s efforts in Venezuela were only 16% funded in 2025. Without adequate funding, access to essential services will be severely constrained. We urgently need your support.

UNHCR has been present in Venezuela for more than 35 years. UNHCR has 4 offices and 2 strategically located warehouses (San Cristóbal near Colombia border and El Consejo near Caracas) which provide nationwide reach. UNHCR has been active in Venezuela delivering vital support to displaced families, including lifesaving aid, shelter and essential legal support.