UN scales up Venezuela earthquake relief as death toll tops 3,300

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Key points

• The United Nations and humanitarian partners are expanding emergency assistance following Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes.
• More than 3,340 people have been confirmed dead, with over 16,700 injured and about 17,000 displaced.
• UNICEF estimates 650,000 people, including 234,000 children, need urgent humanitarian support.
• A preliminary UN assessment puts direct physical damage at about $37 billion.

Main story

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are scaling up emergency relief operations in Venezuela following two powerful earthquakes that killed more than 3,340 people and left thousands displaced.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that the organisation was expanding assistance in coordination with the Venezuelan government to support communities affected by the disaster.

“We and our partners are continuing to scale up assistance to impacted people by the earthquakes, in coordination with the Government,” Dujarric said.

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck north-central Venezuela on June 24, causing widespread destruction to homes, public facilities and critical infrastructure.

A preliminary assessment by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimated direct physical damage at about $37 billion, including approximately $24 billion in losses to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and other public buildings, and a further $13 billion in infrastructure damage.

The assessment noted that the estimate was based on risk modelling and did not include broader economic losses, service disruptions, emergency response costs or reconstruction expenses, suggesting the total impact could rise significantly.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said about 650,000 people, including 234,000 children, require urgent humanitarian assistance, with damage to around one-third of schools in the Capital District disrupting education for thousands of pupils.

UNICEF has deployed emergency teams and delivered 68 tonnes of relief supplies, while appealing for $52 million to expand healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation, child protection and education services.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said search and rescue operations were continuing in the worst-affected areas, with medical personnel, engineers and other specialists supporting response efforts as a humanitarian needs assessment neared completion.

Government figures showed more than 16,740 people were injured, while about 17,000 residents remained homeless following the disaster.

Dujarric said the Venezuelan authorities were leading the response, focusing on displaced communities and urgent humanitarian needs.

The issues

The earthquakes rank among Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in recent years, placing additional pressure on humanitarian services. Temporary shelters have been established for displaced residents, while UN agencies and health partners are providing healthcare, mental health support, water, sanitation and other essential services. The findings of the ongoing needs assessment are expected to shape the next phase of humanitarian assistance and determine additional funding requirements.

What’s being said

“We and our partners are continuing to scale up assistance to impacted people by the earthquakes, in coordination with the Government.” — Stéphane Dujarric, UN spokesperson

What’s next

The UN and its partners are expected to complete a comprehensive humanitarian needs assessment in the coming days, which will guide an updated response plan and identify additional funding needed for relief and recovery operations.

Bottom line

The United Nations is expanding humanitarian assistance in Venezuela as rescue efforts continue and the full scale of the destruction from the June 24 earthquakes becomes clearer.