Oxfam's Emergency Response in Venezuela

Four months after the earthquakes, families on the coast of La Guaira, in towns like Caraballeda and Catia La Mar, are still living in tents and temporary shelters. Two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on 24 June 2026 and left their homes destroyed or unsafe.

Official figures now confirm more than 6,300 deaths and at least 16,700 injuries, and around 24,000 people remain in temporary shelters across the affected states. The UN estimates that 1.3 million people need humanitarian assistance, in a country where 7.9 million people already relied on aid before the earthquakes struck. As Magnus Corfixen, Oxfam’s Humanitarian Lead, explains, “this event compounds an already severe humanitarian crisis.”

Your support is helping Oxfam and our local partners respond where the need is greatest. Initial assessments in the hardest hit areas of La Guaira identified safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene supplies in temporary shelters, psychosocial support for people living with trauma, and protection services, including action to prevent gender-based violence, as the most urgent priorities. Women, children, older people and people with disabilities face the greatest risks as access to basic services becomes more limited. Together with our partners, we aim to reach 20,000 people over the first six months, meeting urgent needs while laying the groundwork for recovery.

Communities and partners continue to face enormous challenges. More than 1,000 aftershocks have been recorded, and the earthquakes, aftershocks and debris continue to hinder access to affected areas.

The response is also working against a funding gap that existed long before the earthquakes. Less than 26% of the funding needed for Venezuela’s humanitarian response had been received by June 2026, and local organisations, who are best placed to reach affected communities, manage less than 5% of what is available. Needs in temporary shelters will outlast the first weeks of the emergency, which is why flexible funding matters so much. It allows our partners to adapt as circumstances change and keep going long after the initial response.

Your continued support helps us respond faster and reach the people who need it most. If you are able, please share this update with friends and family, or give again through our GlobalGiving page. Thank you!