Within days of the June 24 twin earthquakes that flattened entire communities in coastal Venezuela, Samaritan’s Purse rushed medical teams, water, food, and shelter to the region. The organization continues its long-term relief response while sharing the hope of the Gospel.
For many weeks now, residents of La Guaira have been reeling and replaying the devastation of June 24 as they search for and mourn loved ones in their unrecognizable city. Two back-to-back earthquakes on that day—magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 and less than a minute apart—flattened whole city blocks.
The roads buckled. Apartment buildings crumbled. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble. More than 5,000 Venezuelans were killed. Tens of thousands are still missing. More than 16,000 injured residents and at least 20,000 displaced are among the survivors.
Within days, Samaritan’s Purse sent its Boeing 767 to the region filled with relief supplies. Five additional airlifts soon followed, bringing nearly 600,000 pounds of relief to the country, including water, food, shelter, hygiene supplies, and a fully equipped 60-patient Emergency Field Hospital.
More than 3,900 sick and injured Venezuelans have received treatment, including hundreds of emergency surgeries.
In a recent episode of On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse, host Kristy Graham spoke with Dr. Danny, an orthopedic surgeon serving at the field hospital, who talked with joy about the long hours and the importance of the work.
“We have the power of Christ on our side,” he told Graham. “We are working hard as a team, putting Christ first, and I think every patient has seen that.
“Many of them are here with injuries of their own, but many have lost loved ones. They are dealing with a lot of other emotional issues on top of very complex broken bones and multiple injuries that now have been delayed for a week or two.”
A Day of Disaster Response After the Venezuela Earthquake
Outside the field hospital, Samaritan’s Purse staff are working through local church partners in neighboring communities to distribute much-needed supplies, food, and more. Often among the rubble and dirt of their homes, many weary Venezuelans are finding renewed hope.
“The work that we have is to win souls for Christ,” said Pastor Eusebio, a church partner who lost multiple members to the earthquakes. “That is why the work continues.”
His church building collapsed in the quakes, but Samaritan’s Purse set up a tent for his congregation to gather in the meantime. The ministry is also working with Eusebio to prepare hot meals and distribute much-needed items to families who have lost everything.
This includes hundreds of durable tents, tarps, blankets, hygiene kits, and solar lights. Samaritan’s Purse has also established desalination units that are purifying ocean water at the rate of thousands of gallons per day for communities uncertain of when electricity and water sources will be restored.
The quakes come after a tumultuous decade for Venezuela, a once oil-rich nation that has suffered from increasing disintegration of its economy and infrastructure, compounding the aftermath of a disaster of this magnitude.
Samaritan’s Purse has worked with Venezuelans for many years through local church partners like Eusebio, such as providing the resources and food to cook hot meals for the most vulnerable in their respective communities. Following the 2016 economic collapse in Venezuela, the ministry set up an office in Colombia to serve weary migrants crossing the border, while praying for the opportunity to work openly in Venezuela.
God is answering many prayers and continues to open doors for churches and organizations like Samaritan’s Purse to work in Venezuela to bring physical healing and share the eternal hope of Jesus Christ.
On the Ground with Samaritan’s Purse Podcast:
Also available on Spotify.
Photo credit: ©Samaritan’s Purse
Originally published August 25, 2026.
