Earthquakes in Venezuela shook much of the country on the afternoon of 24 June, causing fatalities, serious material damage, and leaving thousands of people afraid to return to their homes. The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has issued an urgent call for prayers for the Venezuelan people following this devastating emergency. The first tremor, measuring magnitude 7.2, was recorded at 6:04 p.m. local time, and just 39 seconds later, it was followed by a second earthquake of magnitude 7.5. These two powerful earthquakes caused significant damage to homes, public buildings, and church structures, many of which have opened their doors to welcome displaced families.
Damage in Caracas and the impact of the earthquakes in Venezuela
The Archbishop of Caracas, Raúl Biord Castillo, toured the affected parishes for hours to personally assess the situation and reported serious structural damage across the territory. Among the most affected buildings are the Cathedral of Caracas and about a dozen other parishes, though communication difficulties caused by power and internet cuts still make it impossible to know the full extent of the devastation. The archbishop explained to ACN:
«In Ñauralí the roof of the right nave fell in. The church and the parish house of Pagüita collapsed. The parish priest was miraculously saved».
Archbishop Biord confirmed that fatalities occurred in different places due to the collapse of buildings and walls, though no casualties have been reported among priests, deacons, seminarians, or religious sisters. He also noted that the human toll could have been significantly worse had the disaster happened on a business day:
«Thank God it was a day off. If it had been a weekday, with schools, offices and shops open, the number of victims would have been much higher».
Consequences in the Diocese of La Guaira
The Diocese of La Guaira has also been seriously affected by the natural disaster. In communication with ACN, Bishop Pablo Modesto González Pérez of La Guaira explained that the diocesan seminary, supported annually by the charity, has been seriously damaged. The bishop detailed the critical situation facing his community:
«We are without electricity and we have all been affected. In the seminary, many walls collapsed. Now we are in the parking lot of the sports stadium, waiting for the firefighters to evaluate the building to find out what we are going to do. Thank God there have been no serious problems with the priests, although several churches have suffered significant damage. Two buildings in front of the seminary collapsed. We have just returned from visiting Ciudad Chávez, where ACN supported the construction of the church, there is a population of about 20,000 people, where most of the housing blocks have suffered serious damage. Thank God they did not collapse».
Emergency response and international solidarity
Despite the extensive damage to property, the local Church has already activated its emergency response across the affected regions. Many parishes have received people to spend the night in their facilities, and a solidarity network has been activated through the parish Caritas. Technical inspections will be carried out to determine which temples can be safely reopened to the public.
ACN remains in permanent contact with the local Church while the assessment of the damage and the most urgent needs continue. Marco Mencaglia, Director of Project at ACN, stressed the importance of remaining close to the Venezuelan Church at this time:
«Venezuela has been a priority country for our charity for many years. The priority now is the people. The Church is doing what it has always done in times of crisis: opening its doors, accompanying those who have lost everything and bringing hope where fear has settled. We ask all our benefactors and friends to keep Venezuela in their prayers».
Mencaglia concluded that as communications are restored and technical inspections progress, the charity will better understand the evolving needs of the Church and the communities it serves, committing to continue accompanying them with material help and prayers.
