A remarkable tale has emerged regarding the rescue of a three-year-old in the severely impacted northern region, where tens of thousands continue to lack sufficient shelter following the powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 that occurred less than a minute apart on June 24.
As the number of casualties continues to climb, the urgent needs of the affected population are escalating, according to an online alert from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) issued on Tuesday. Official reports confirm nearly 2,000 fatalities and indicate that over 6,400 individuals have been rescued to date. The UN’s response to the earthquake includes efforts from multiple agencies: UNICEF has dispatched supplies sufficient for 100,000 individuals for three months; UNHCR is focusing on providing shelter while cautioning that basic needs are rising; OCHA is overseeing the coordination of numerous international rescue teams still active in the region; and UNDAC is evaluating the pressing needs in the most affected communities. Various UN agencies and partners are collaborating with local authorities to assist families in accessing essential services such as shelter, healthcare, and protection.
“Every life holds significance,” emphasized the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, on Wednesday, as both national and international search and rescue teams continued their operations in La Guaira. UNDAC teams are also engaged in assessing the specific needs for humanitarian assistance, as stated by public information officer Veronique Durroux.
The earthquakes have resulted in damage to approximately 1,000 buildings, including hospitals, as well as over 400 schools and water systems. In response to the crisis, an initial shipment of humanitarian supplies weighing 47 tons from UNICEF arrived in Venezuela on Tuesday. This shipment complements a regional delivery from Panama that reached the country on June 28, collectively providing support for over 100,000 children and families for a duration of three months.
Funding Urgency
“UNICEF is actively on the ground, working tirelessly to assist as many children and families as possible,” remarked Gabriel Vockel of UNICEF while in La Guaira. “The first flights carrying water, medications, and various other supplies have successfully arrived, and we are thankful for the outpouring of support. We urge for donations to UNICEF, as increased funding will enable us to save more lives and extend our reach to additional families.”
This shipment, coordinated by the European Union through the UNICEF logistics hub in Copenhagen, includes essential health kits for immediate medical needs, supplies for safe childbirth, newborn care, and disease prevention and treatment. Additionally, water purification and storage supplies, tents for child-friendly areas, and wheelchairs have also been provided. Other materials aimed at fostering recreational and early childhood development are intended to help children regain a sense of normalcy and continue their education.
“Families in the affected areas are in dire need of safe drinking water and access to healthcare,” stated Roberto Benes, UNICEF’s Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Many are forced to sleep outdoors, fearing further aftershocks. These supplies will assist us in delivering critical aid to children and families, but the demand far exceeds what has been delivered thus far.”
Impact on Children Across Six States
The agency estimates that around 680,000 children require humanitarian assistance across the six states impacted by the earthquakes, marking the most significant seismic event to affect Venezuela in over a century. “Communities remain vulnerable to ongoing aftershocks, which have surpassed 600 since the initial quakes,” UNICEF highlighted.
UNICEF has projected that $52 million is necessary to address the immediate needs arising from the earthquake crisis, as part of a broader humanitarian appeal for Venezuela for 2026, which totals $137.6 million and was only 35 percent funded prior to the earthquakes.
