VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE
“Families are still living in great uncertainty and fear.”
Two catastrophic earthquakes have devastated Venezuela, and families urgently need help to recover, rebuild, and return home.
On June 24, 2026, two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds of each other, collapsing buildings across Caracas and the surrounding region. More than 4,300 people have died and nearly 17,000 have been injured. Almost 18,000 families have lost their homes. Thousands more families are living in shelters and tents, uncertain whether their homes will ever be safe to live in again.
Local churches, community organizations, and volunteers responded first, providing shelter and support to displaced families. Volunteer engineers and students across the country have been assessing which homes are safe to occupy. Nearly 700 volunteer engineers signed up in a single day.
But the scale of this crisis is immense, and local capacity is under significant strain. Local systems and volunteer networks do not have the resources to meet the needs on their own, and external assistance is vital.
"For us, CWS is a light at the end of the tunnel right now. We know that this support will multiply the assistance available and help many more families regain peace of mind and return to their homes."
How CWS is Responding
CWS is providing funding and support to local partners already leading the response. We are prioritizing the most vulnerable families and communities.
Supporting Local Engineers to Conduct Structural Safety Assessments of Public Buildings and Homes
- Equipping local volunteer engineering teams with protective gear and technical tools they need to assess the structural damage and safety of apartment buildings, homes and community infrastructure, so families know whether they are safe to occupy.
Strengthening Local Responders
- Providing solidarity funding directly to organizations and churches already sheltering, feeding, and caring for survivors.
Helping Communities Recover, Rebuild, and Return Home
- Standing with Venezuelan churches and community organizations to support the most vulnerable families and underserved communities.
- Supporting and accompanying Venezuelan communities well beyond the emergency phase by helping families rebuild their lives, supporting small business owners to reopen their shops, and by strengthening the capacity of local partners with resources for technical training, psychosocial support, and strengthening community resilience to future disasters.
Recovery from a disaster of this magnitude takes years. Media attention typically declines within weeks, but the needs continue. CWS is committed to supporting Venezuelan communities throughout the recovery period, not only in the immediate aftermath.
Recovery begins with reliable information. Every building we assess helps a family understand whether they can safely return home and take the next step toward rebuilding their lives."