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What is happening in Venezuela?
A UK-Med team is in Venezuela, looking at primary and emergency healthcare, trauma and surgical needs, and rehabilitation, to see how best to help.
They are also looking at the risk of diseases spreading, as clean water supply is disrupted and people are forced to shelter in overcrowded temporary shelters.
On Wednesday 24 June 2026, two very powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in the region of the capital, Caracas. Severe impacts have been reported in several states across Venezuela. The South American country is no stranger to earthquakes, but these were of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 – stronger than the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. The second quake, which struck less than a minute after the first, was the strongest earthquake to hit Venezuela since 1900.
Both quakes hit at a shallow depth which significantly increased their destructive power. Buildings have collapsed and transport is severely affected including the closure of the international airport and the suspension of Metro services in Caracas. Power and telecoms services have been disrupted.
Above all is the human cost. Initial national reports indicate that the earthquake has killed over 1700 people and injured thousands more.
Many people are trapped under rubble, so sadly we expect to see these totals rise over the coming hours and days.
As rescuers race to find survivors under the rubble, a UK-Med assessment team is on the ground, preparing the way for lifesaving care.
Drawing on our experience responding to the devastating Türkiye–Syria earthquake in 2023, we know that earthquakes of this magnitude rapidly overwhelm local health services. The first priority is finding survivors and treating their traumatic injuries, but that is just the start. Many of the injuries will need treatment over an extended period of time, and hospitals and health centres are likely to have been damaged by the earthquake, so the ongoing provision of healthcare becomes the next priority.
International medical teams work alongside national authorities and local health workers, supporting – not replacing – existing response capacity.
A fuller picture of exactly what has happened and how many people are affected will evolve over the coming days as access improves and more detailed reports become available. This is therefore a critical time to coordinate between governments, national emergency teams, and humanitarian organisations to ensure assistance reaches those most in need.
UK-Med saves lives in emergencies. We respond fast when disasters strike, getting teams on the ground fast. Donations from the public are key in getting teams on the ground quickly when the need is greatest.
A donation to UK-Med today can help people in Venezuela and around the world to get the healthcare they need when the worst happens.
Your donation to the Venezuela Appeal will support those affected by the crisis and other emergencies around the world. Gift Aid and any surplus funds will help UK-Med’s wider humanitarian work and general charitable purposes.