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- On 24 June 2026, two consecutive earthquakes (M7.2 and M7.5) struck Yaracuy state in north-central Venezuela with ~3.9 million people exposed to severe shaking.
- The earthquake was felt across several states, including Miranda, Aragua, Yaracuy, Lara, Mérida, Falcón, Carabobo, La Guaira and the Capital District. La Guaira may be among the worst affected –with multiple collapsed buildings, ongoing search and rescue, and a disaster-area declaration – while collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure are also reported in parts of Caracas and Miranda. Assessments are still ongoing
- Venezuela's Acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, has declared a state of emergency and reported on Thursday that 164 deaths and 971 injuries had been registered following the two major earthquakes.
- The public and private health networks have reportedly been mobilized to provide immediate care to injured people (including 20 public and private health facilities in Gran Caracas). Reported disruptions to electricity, water, domestic gas, transport systems and telecommunications in affected areas may further affect health service continuity, emergency referrals, hospital operations, ambulance dispatch, referral pathways and coordination.
- The Simon Bolivar International Airport was reportedly seriously affected and is currently closed.
- Authorities have reportedly suspended school activities and non-essential work in affected areas to facilitate response, some hotels have been turned into shelters available for those displaced or with structurally unsafe homes, and activated a national crisis management mechanism.
- The main risks at this stage remain structural collapse, aftershocks, trauma injuries, disruption of health services, damage to health facilities, interruptions to power, water and connectivity, access constraints.
- PAHO/WHO staff are reported safe, and the PAHO office withstood the earthquake.
- PAHO/WHO is supporting health sector coordination with the Ministry of Health, Civil Protection and the Health Cluster—convening partners, supporting evaluations, mapping partner presence and capacity, and engaging regional counterparts on potential donations. It is supporting rapid health facility functionality and damage assessments and identification of urgent needs for medicines, supplies, oxygen, fuel and other critical response needs. The PAHO Regional Response Team is on standby, with specialists identified for potential deployment across coordination, hospital safety, mass casualty care, logistics and other key areas.
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