Venezuela quake: UN continues to scale up as damage estimate reaches $37 billion

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The UN and its partners are ramping up assistance for people affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela, working alongside the Government’s response effort, as a new UN estimate puts direct physical damage at $37 billion.

“We and our partners are continuing to scale up assistance to impacted people by the earthquakes, in coordination with the Government,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Monday.

The two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck the north-central region of Venezuela on 24 June, just 39 seconds apart. A first assessment by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) estimates direct physical damage to housing and infrastructure at some $37 billion.

That figure includes around $24 billion in damage to buildings – homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and public facilities – and another $13 billion in infrastructure. 

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Within that latter category, telecommunications sustained the heaviest losses, at around $5 billion, followed by energy generation and roads.

The estimate is based on risk modelling rather than on-the-ground inspections and does not account for losses from disrupted services and economic activity, emergency response costs, supply chain effects or reconstruction. 

The total economic impact could therefore rise.

Children among hardest hit

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children are among those worst affected by the disaster, estimating that 650,000 people – including 234,000 children – will need humanitarian assistance. 

Around a third of schools in the Capital District, which includes Caracas, were damaged, disrupting access to education for thousands of pupils.

UNICEF has deployed emergency teams and sent 68 tonnes of supplies, including medical materials, water and sanitation equipment, and essential household items. 

The agency has appealed for $52 million to expand its response and secure health care, nutrition, safe water, child protection and education for affected families.

Teams on the ground

On the ground, search and rescue teams remain deployed in the affected areas, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Specialized teams – from  medical staff to engineers – continue to arrive, while a separate humanitarian needs assessment nears completion and will inform an updated response plan and resource request.

The Government reported that the death toll stood at more than 3,340 people, with over 16,740 injured and around 17,000 left homeless.

Authorities in Caracas are leading the response, Mr. Dujarric said, “focusing on supporting displaced people and addressing urgent humanitarian needs.”

At least 79 transitional camps have opened in stadiums and sports centres, hosting displaced residents and providing aid. 

Services delivered

UN agencies are already delivering services in three of the camps and are assessing additional sites for support. Health partners are providing primary health care, mental health and psychosocial support, and sexual and reproductive health services where needed.

Access to safe water and sanitation in the camps continues to improve, humanitarian officials said, with hygiene kit distributions and expanded sanitation infrastructure ongoing at temporary accommodation sites.

The Humanitarian Response Plan for Venezuela has so far received $274 million, alongside more than $32 million from private sector donors and additional in-kind contributions of goods and services.