- by Graham Holton
- The Guardian
- Issue #2202
The 24 June 2026 twin earthquakes in Venezuela caused damage to residential, commercial, educational, health, institutional and industrial buildings is estimated at AU$52 billion.
This massive physical and economic loss has made it very difficult to handle not only the devastating humanitarian catastrophe but also the environmental disaster. This includes damaged water treatment plants, ruptured sewage systems, and broken pipelines which are contaminating rivers and coastal waters. In the worst-hit areas, the shortage of clean drinking water has forced people to drink from unsafe water sources, increasing the risk from water-borne diseases such as cholera and hepatitis A.
The environmental damage has become a public health emergency. According to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), overcrowded shelters, inadequate sanitation, and shortages of safe water have significantly increased the risk of outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections, and vaccine-preventable illnesses. Early warning disease surveillance has been established in shelters to detect outbreaks quickly.
As well as body recovery, the Venezuelan government is handling interruptions to emergency response, interrupted supply chains, and their macroeconomic impact. Thousands of damaged and collapsed buildings have generated millions of tonnes of rubble. This debris includes asbestos, heavy metals, fuels, industrial chemicals, and medical waste that require careful disposal to prevent long-term soil and groundwater contamination.
Debris, sewage, and sediment have entered coastal waters, damaging coral reefs, mangroves, and fisheries. Fishing communities face reduced catches due to polluted near-shore waters and damaged ports. Dust from collapsed buildings has increased concentrations of fine particulate matter with respiratory risks for rescue workers, children, and older people.
Venezuela’s coastal region contains oil storage terminals, pipelines, and petrochemical facilities. As earthquake damage could result in significant environmental contamination, authorities are monitoring these sites for leaks or spills.
Wildlife has been displaced by habitat destruction and human encroachment as displaced people establish temporary settlements. Restoring ecosystems, alongside rebuilding infrastructure, is likely to be a central part of Venezuela’s long-term recovery strategy.
Venezuela’s recovery will require restoring safe drinking water and sanitation systems; environmentally safe disposal; recycling of earthquake debris; stabilising landslide-prone slopes through reforestation and engineering works; monitoring groundwater and coastal water quality; rebuilding infrastructure to modern seismic and environmental standards; and protecting wetlands, mangroves, and coastal habitats to help buffer future natural hazards.
The UN World Food Program says Venezuela is desperately in need of emergency food, clean water, safe shelter, medical care, and child protection, as well as support to rebuild infrastructure and restore basic services. This long-term environmental disaster requires expertise and money, both of which Venezuela desperately needs. Governments, including Australia, must send more assistance to help Venezuela to cope with this catastrophe.
The US boasts of sending $546 million, but this is miniscule compared to the estimated $27 billion the Trump administration has collected in revenue from oil sales.
