Thousands of families have lost everything after the powerful earthquakes in Venezuela. Caritas is on the ground with emergency response , but the needs are enormous. Here's how you can help.

“This is a humanitarian crisis of enormous dimensions, the full extent of which we do not yet know,” says the Secretary-General of the Caritas Norway Ingrid Rosendorf Joys. She fears that the numbers of dead and injured will rise rapidly in the coming days.

Caritas Venezuela, which Caritas Norway has had a close collaboration with since 2016, has 30,000 volunteers and employees in the country and was quickly present with emergency response after the natural disaster.

On June 24, 2026, Venezuela was hit by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.1 and 7.5 on the Richter scale – the most destructive in over 60 years. The tremors occurred just seconds apart and had epicenters near the coastal area west of the capital, Caracas. Homes and critical infrastructure were destroyed. 

As hope fades with each passing day, families are still desperately searching for their loved ones in the rubble. In areas like La Guaira and Caracas, people are now living on the streets or in makeshift shelters, without safety or basic services. So far, over 1,700 people have been confirmed dead, 5,000 have been confirmed injured, and tens of thousands are still missing.

The fact that Venezuela was already in a deep humanitarian and political crisis before the natural disaster struck further worsens the situation. Our partner says that the authorities are unable to coordinate the rescue efforts in a satisfactory manner. The health system was already on its knees with a precarious lack of equipment and staff before the earthquakes. The need for help is increasing every day. With your support, families can get food, security and hope in an extremely difficult situation, says Ingrid Rosendorf Joys.

Secretary General of CARITAS Norway

The urgent needs are

• Temporary shelter : Many have lost their homes or are afraid to return due to damage and aftershocks. Churches and congregations are opening to welcome displaced families.
• Food and relief items : Affected families need immediate access to food, clean water, blankets, hygiene items and other basic necessities.
• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) : Damage to infrastructure and power outages make access to safe water and sanitation uncertain, increasing the risk of disease.
• Healthcare and trauma care : There is a great need for emergency medical care for the injured, including surgical capacity, as well as follow-up of traumatic injuries.
• Psychosocial support : Many are in shock after the incident, and support is needed for both children and adults who have experienced loss, fear and uncertainty.
• Rapid needs assessment and coordination: Humanitarian actors are now prioritizing getting an overview of the extent of damage in order to target aid effectively.

This makes Caritas

Caritas Norway is in close contact with our partner Caritas Venezuela about the immediate needs. We have contributed 400,000 kroner from our disaster fund, launched a fundraising campaign and sent an application to the Norwegian authorities for additional funds to scale up the relief work. In addition, we are putting the humanitarian situation and aid needs on the agenda in the Norwegian media.

Cáritas Venezuela immediately activated its national emergency mechanisms throughout its network of dioceses and parishes, dispatched teams to the affected areas and established a coordinated system for the collection and distribution of emergency response This network-based structure makes it possible to scale up assistance, even in areas where infrastructure and government capacity are severely limited.

Caritas Internationalis' emergency appeal system has been activated to mobilize international funding, technical resources and rapid response support. However, the funding gap is large and every donation, large or small, will make a difference.

Caritas contributes with:

• Search and rescue
• Distribution of food, clean water and hygiene items
• Establishment of safe, temporary housing in churches, parish houses and local communities
• Healthcare and psychosocial support
• Strengthening water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services

Why support Caritas ?

There are many organizations that help in disasters – here's why your gift to Caritas makes a difference:

Presence
Caritas Venezuela has a large network of around 30,000 volunteers and employees in the country.

Trust
Caritas is one of the most trusted humanitarian actors in Venezuela and enjoys great confidence among the population. The organization has gained significant experience in dealing with complex humanitarian crises over the past decade, particularly in food security , water and sanitation, health and protection.

Local anchoring
Caritas Venezuela is present in communities across the country, with direct access to those most affected through a network of dioceses and parishes.

Fast and efficient help
Caritas quickly reaches those who need it most. With an established network, aid can be mobilized immediately and there is no need to wait for international aid workers to be sent in.

Established collaboration
Caritas Norway channels your support through Caritas Venezuela, with whom we have had an established collaboration since 2016. Caritas Venezuela is part of the ongoing humanitarian strategic partnership agreement we have with Norad, which also includes projects in the areas most affected by the earthquakes. Both Caritas Norway and Caritas Venezuela is part of the world's largest faith-based humanitarian network, Caritas Internationalis, with 162 member organizations in around 200 countries and territories.

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