Thousands of buildings severely damaged in Venezuela after earthquakes

A total of 7,147 buildings evaluated in the Greater Caracas area and Vargas state exhibit severe structural damage, compromising their habitability and posing a significant risk to the population. This assessment comes from the Presidential Commission for the Evaluation of Infrastructure Habitability, established following earthquakes on June 24, 2026.

In the first month of its operation, the commission completed 32,485 technical inspections across Caracas, La Guaira, and Miranda. The preliminary rapid assessment classified buildings into three risk levels: green (low risk), yellow (moderate risk), and red (high risk). Of the inspected structures, 18,139 were categorized as green, 7,199 as yellow, and 7,147 as red. Minister of Transportation Francisco Garcés emphasized that a red classification does not automatically mandate demolition but indicates potential risks to habitability, pending a final, more detailed assessment.

The state of La Guaira shows the most significant structural impact, with 4,373 buildings classified as red out of 12,552 inspections conducted. Caracas recorded 7,147 red-classified buildings from 17,832 inspections, while Miranda reported 404 red-classified buildings from 4,878 inspections. Due to the severity of the damage, particularly in La Guaira, several buildings that have suffered partial collapses or lost structural integrity will likely face demolition.

Minister Garcés stated that the Vice Presidency of Public Works is leading the evaluation efforts, supported by technical teams. He described the seismic event as exceptional, noting the large number of structures that have either collapsed entirely or partially, or have lost their structural capacity. Procedures for demolition will be progressively notified and coordinated with property owners and local authorities.