Caracas Earthquakes: Death Toll Hits 6,438; Massive Aid Effort Underway as Rebuilding Promises Begin
August 18, 2026
By year’s end, the government promises 4,000 rebuilt or new homes, with 335 already provided.
The interim government pledges housing for those affected, aiming to address displacement and recovery.
Search-and-rescue efforts continue roughly two months after the disaster, focusing on missing persons.
Thousands remain in temporary camps under precarious conditions, with heavy rains damaging some tents in Caracas.
Aid distribution is concentrated in seven states—La Guaira, Miranda, Distrito Capital, and Aragua—with displaced people receiving assistance in other states as well.
As of August 18, 2026, the death toll stands at 6,438 according to the latest official figures.
Parliament Speaker updated the death toll, revising the figure upward from earlier counts.
A powerful pair of earthquakes near Caracas in late August, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, triggered widespread infrastructure damage, injuries, and a rising death toll as authorities confirm 6,438 fatalities and tens of thousands of hospitalizations.
Approximately 60,000 homes were affected by the disaster, with about 24,000 rendered uninhabitable.
The World Bank estimates material destruction at about $19.6 billion (€16.9 billion).
More than 83 organizations, including UN agencies and local and international partners, delivered aid across food security, water, sanitation and hygiene, housing, health, protection, nutrition, and education.
The UN OCHA appeals for economic donations to fund the Humanitarian Response Plan for those impacted by the June earthquakes.
Summary based on 2 sources
