ZOA launches emergency support after earthquakes in Venezuela

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on 24 June, causing severe damage in Caracas and surrounding areas. Buildings collapsed, families fled their homes, and rescue teams continue to search for survivors under the rubble. The situation remains unstable, with further tremors and aftershocks reported in the days after the earthquakes.

1 July 2026

ZOA has launched emergency support together with a partner in Venezuela. The response started last week and focuses on victims who have lost their homes or cannot safely return.

Urgent needs

The earthquakes hit a country that was already facing a prolonged economic and humanitarian crisis. Many families were living in vulnerable conditions before the disaster. The damage caused by the earthquakes has now pushed many people into even greater uncertainty.

Many people who cannot safely return home need immediate support. Some are staying outside, while others are seeking temporary shelter with relatives, neighbours or friends. ZOA’s first response focuses on practical emergency assistance. Together with a partner on the ground, we are providing shelter materials, food, hygiene kits and essential household items.

Afraid to return home

For 20-year-old Michelle Ruiz from Caracas, the earthquake changed everything within seconds. She was at home with her mother in their apartment in Altamira when the first tremor started. Less than a minute later, a second powerful shock followed.

“The fear was enormous,” Michelle says. “So many things go through your mind in that moment.” Their building is still standing, but cracks run through the walls and entire walls have collapsed on the lower floors. Volunteer engineers have inspected the building and warned that it is not safe to return.

Read Michelle's full story

Working through local partners

Although ZOA is not currently operational in Venezuela, we have years of experience in Latin America through our previous work in Colombia. This regional experience and network made it possible to connect quickly with a trusted partner after the earthquakes. Through former ZOA colleagues now working with this partner organisation, we were able to draw on strong regional knowledge and established relationships.

Our first priority is to provide practical emergency support, such as shelter materials, food, hygiene kits and essential household items. The response can be adapted to what is needed most. In later phases, assistance may shift towards cash and voucher assistance (CVA), allowing people to purchase approved essential items from local vendors and meet their own needs.

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Photo credit: Alejandra María Otero