UNICEF Airlifts 47 Tons of Emergency Aid to Quake-Hit Venezuela

The shipment is expected to support more than 100,000 children and families over the next three months, alongside additional humanitarian supplies that arrived from Panama on 28 June.

UNICEF has delivered a 47-metric-ton shipment of humanitarian supplies to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country on 24 June, providing urgently needed assistance to children and families affected by the disaster.

The relief cargo was mobilized from the European Union's emergency stockpile at UNICEF's global supply and logistics hub in Copenhagen. It contains emergency health kits, water purification and storage equipment, tents for child-friendly spaces, wheelchairs, and educational and recreational materials designed to help children recover and continue learning during the crisis.

The shipment is expected to support more than 100,000 children and families over the next three months, alongside additional humanitarian supplies that arrived from Panama on 28 June.

Hundreds of Thousands of Children Need Assistance

UNICEF estimates that around 680,000 children across six affected states now require humanitarian assistance after what has been described as Venezuela's most powerful seismic event in more than a century. The situation remains dangerous as communities continue to experience aftershocks, with more than 600 recorded since the initial earthquakes.

UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Roberto Benes said families urgently need safe drinking water, healthcare, and secure places to stay as many remain outdoors because of fears of further tremors. He said the newly arrived supplies will provide essential medical care, clean water, and safe spaces for children, while stressing that the humanitarian needs on the ground are much greater than the current delivery can meet.

The emergency health kits include supplies for safe childbirth, newborn care, disease prevention, and medical treatment, while the water and sanitation equipment will help communities gain access to safe drinking water. Child-friendly tents and early childhood development materials are also intended to provide children with a sense of stability during a difficult period.

UNICEF Appeals for More International Support

UNICEF continues to work closely with Venezuelan authorities, the United Nations Country Team, and humanitarian partners to assess damage and expand assistance across child protection, healthcare, nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.

The agency estimates that US$52 million is needed to respond to the earthquake emergency as part of its broader 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Venezuela, which requires US$137.6 million in total. Before the earthquakes struck, the appeal had received only 35% of the required funding.

To launch the emergency response quickly, UNICEF has already allocated around US$3.5 million from its own emergency resources to deploy humanitarian supplies and response teams while additional funding is sought from international donors.