Earthquakes in Venezuela: Switzerland's humanitarian response in words and pictures
On 24 June 2026, twin earthquakes caused the deaths of more than 6,000 people and widespread destruction in Venezuela. The authorities appealed for international aid. The SDC swiftly deployed Swiss Rescue. Members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit and specialists from the region provided emergency relief. A look back at Switzerland's humanitarian response.
On Wednesday 24 June at 6.04pm local time, an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale struck north-western Venezuela. The epicentre was located approximately 100km west of Caracas. It was followed by a second earthquake, measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, 45km away – the strongest recorded in the country for over a century. Faced with the scale of the disaster, the Venezuelan authorities appealed for international assistance with search and rescue teams.
Swiss Rescue deployed
The following day, the Federal Council's delegate for humanitarian aid, Dominik Stillhart, decided to deploy Swiss Rescue. Eighty specialists and eight rescue dogs flew to Venezuela late that night. Swiss Rescue was among the first non-Latin American teams to reach the devastated areas. Working in coordination with the local authorities, it set up its base of operations in La Guaira. The coastal town was one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster.
For nearly a week, Swiss rescue workers braved the sweltering heat and high humidity, trying to rescue people from the rubble. They were part of a wave of international solidarity, alongside around 50 other foreign teams who came to support local rescue efforts.
Although they were not able to save any lives, the bodies recovered by Swiss Rescue enabled bereaved families to receive their loved ones' remains and to begin the grieving process. Their involvement in rescue efforts also took some of the pressure off the national authorities, who were thus able to focus on other vital measures for the survivors of the disaster.
The Swiss embassy in Caracas, which was involved from the outset, worked closely with the Venezuelan civil defence crisis unit. This presence helped to facilitate the arrival of the Swiss Rescue team, as well as to prepare other assistance measures beyond the emergency response phase.
Reinforcements from Switzerland and neighbouring countries
The SDC thus proceeded to deploy 18 members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA). Based in La Guaira, they were joined by members of the ‘Grupo de Intervención y Apoyo Rápido’ (GIAR). Set up by the SDC, this network of humanitarian specialists from several Swiss embassies in Latin America can be mobilised for this type of crisis. It can also call upon external expertise for the duration of a mission, as was the case in Venezuela.
The whole team worked for nearly a month to meet the needs of the local population in the areas of maternal and child health, and access to water and sanitation. The aim of the operation was also to protect women and children and to restore livelihoods.
A summary of activities:
Access to water and sanitation
In La Guaira, the César Nieves and Mare Abajo camps are home to more than 9,000 people who lost their homes in the earthquakes. The team installed portable toilets, showers and hand-washing stations, as well as drinking water tanks.
Specialists from the SHA and GIAR provided extra training for local professionals in the chlorination of drinking water and water quality control. This enabled them to treat all drinking water supply points in the disaster-stricken areas systematically. The procedures are now being implemented by the Venezuelan authorities and are helping to improve the water supply for around 160,000 people.
Medical support for maternal and child healthcare
Also in La Guaira, the Rafael Medina Jiménez Hospital is now operating at just 15% of its capacity due to the high number of deaths amongst hospital staff. The SDC has deployed its ‘mothers and children’ module, comprising specialist healthcare staff and equipment. The specialists are supporting medical care for newborns and young children and have carried out more than 225 consultations. They are also training local healthcare staff in patient triage and ultrasound scanning. This collaboration is helping to strengthen the technical capabilities of the region's main hospital.
Ensuring protection for the most vulnerable and meeting basic needs
In collaboration with the NGO International Rescue Committee, the SDC is taking steps to protect more than 8,000 women, adolescents and children who survived the disaster. The aim is to ensure they have access to appropriate services, particularly for trauma care, and to reduce the risk of gender-based violence. The project also involves working with communities to ensure they take the necessary measures to safeguard the well-being of their most vulnerable members. In addition, the SDC is supporting a Caritas Venezuela project which provides financial assistance to more than 2,800 people who have lost their livelihoods as a result of the disaster.
In total, the SDC has allocated CHF 3.5 million for its overall response in Venezuela.
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