On 24 June 2026, two strong earthquakes, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, hit Venezuela.
The seismic event was the strongest in over a century, killing over 2,000 people, destroying homes across the country, and leaving more than 12,000 homeless and injured. Nearly 50,000 are still missing. Rescuers and volunteers are trying to make their way through the rubble in search of survivors, as tragedy continues to unfold.
Along with the buildings, the earthquake also destroyed critical fixtures such as power lines and the long-deteriorating Internet infrastructure, making it even harder for people to navigate the humanitarian emergency that arose. In addition to its internal networks, there are reports of a rupture in one of the main submarine cables serving Venezuela, further reducing network resilience.
In some of the most affected areas, such as La Guaira, families are organizing rescue operations alongside official services and foreign aid. Without access to power and connectivity, people have been going around buildings and writing on sheets of paper—glued to the walls that still stand—the names of relatives they believe are trapped under the wreckage.
In an emergency scenario such as this, connectivity can be lifesaving. Official information on where to find food and water, safe zones, and first aid is critical. Communication between family members can reassure those who learn that their relatives are safe and help find those still missing. Real-time updates help emergency responders to map dangerous areas, organize supplies, coordinate shelters, and provide medical aid.
A few hours after the earthquakes hit, the Venezuelan government lifted Internet blocks that had been active for years. Where people still had access, this created a channel for sharing real-time updates among themselves and with the rest of the world, giving us a glimpse of the situation’s urgency. But there are still many areas offline.
The Internet Society and our community are closely following developments in Venezuela and working to reestablish connectivity to support emergency operations. Our regional partner Colnodo is working to get solar panels and satellite connectivity equipment to build local networks in the most affected places, and we are supporting coordination with our regional community to direct efforts to those who can best leverage them.
Several other local and international organizations are providing humanitarian aid. The Internet Society Venezuela Chapter started a GoFundMe campaign to help their work on the ground, including technical support, local network deployments to assist in rescue communications, and managing resource distribution. Please consider supporting them directly if you would like to help.
Some of the initiatives the chapter is working with are:
- Reconecta Venezuela and RedesAyuda: initiatives to reestablish connectivity and digital services, lead campaigns to collect equipment, and install Wi-Fi access points in affected areas. They are mapping connectivity spots and their current situation.
- RedCLARA: a regional initiative that connects academic, research, and scientific institutions in Latin America. It has offered its high-speed infrastructure for telemedicine and psychological support services.
- Conexión Segura y Libre: a local initiative focused on digital rights, Internet safety, and fighting content blocking. They have been working on the ground to gather equipment and support emergency network deployment.
- QuipuNetworks: a local initiative focused on the deployment of community networks and local messaging systems. They are working to provide applications that help with offline or hybrid messaging that work with intermittent connectivity.