Toronto, ON, September 24, 2026 — Three months after two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, thousands of families are still sleeping in tents beside damaged buildings, facing sudden downpours and ongoing uncertainty as children struggle to return to school.

The earthquakes on June 24 (magnitude 7.2 and 7.5) were the strongest seismic event recorded in Venezuela in over 125 years. As of August 24, authorities reported 6,509 deaths and classified 11,001 homes as high risk among the 60,785 assessed.

For children, especially girls, the disruption extends beyond the loss of a safe place to live, affecting their access to learning and essential health services.

In El Junquito, Caracas, 28-year-old Valeria gave birth to her son Edrick in the street in June after being evacuated from the maternity ward where she was in labour. Three months later, she, her husband and their two children are still sleeping in a tent beside their building while the area is assessed.

"Every day we face worry, fear, and dread. The rain is another issue, on top of the damage to the building where we live. When there are aftershocks, those are the moments when we go on alert. It never stops. Every day is one thing after another," said Valeria.

Rain is much more than just an inconvenience for families who have been living in tents beside damaged buildings for three months. The rain seeps in through cracks in the structures, heightening fears that they could collapse.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMEH) has confirmed the development of a 'super El Niño' that is expected to intensify between September and December. Despite this, overall rainfall is predicted to decrease as dozens of tropical waves move through the country, bringing sudden, localized downpours.

For children, the disruption extends into the school day. According to the Ministry of Education, more than 900 educational institutions were damaged, including 11 that collapsed completely and 89 that sustained severe structural damage. Sixty-seven of these schools were functioning as transitional camps for displaced families, but the authorities have been working to clear them so that classes can resume safely.

In La Guaira, the residential complex where 12-year-old Greymar lived was among the buildings damaged by the earthquakes, after one of its towers partially collapsed. As a result, her own building was left structurally unsafe. Three months on, she and her family have been moving between temporary accommodation as they wait to find out where they will live next. Greymar has returned to school without seeing any familiar faces, including her friends.

"Many of my friends died. And I won't see my teacher anymore, because my teacher left La Guaira," said Greymar.

For children in these communities, returning to school does not mean that daily life has returned to normal. Many attend school during the day, but at home, many issues remain unresolved three months on.

Working with local partners, Plan International is supporting families as they navigate that recovery. In areas where schools have been damaged, Plan International and its partners are running temporary learning and child-friendly spaces, while providing trauma counselling services to help children and their caregivers process their experiences.

"One of the main challenges we're facing right now is providing enough resources to reach everyone currently in transitional camps, as well as for the next stages of this response, like the safe return to schools. Venezuela needs everyone's support,” said Ignacio Lombo, Education in Emergencies Specialist, Plan International.

In the coming months, Plan International and its partners will keep supporting families' recovery, return children, especially girls, to safe learning, and provide access to health and protection services. So far, support has been provided to families through more than 8,200 service contacts. This figure reflects service entries rather than a confirmed count of unique individuals, as some people may have received more than one type of support.

"Three months on, the emergency has not ended: it has transformed. Families like Valeria's and children like Greymar are still living through it every day, between unsettled nights and a return to school that hasn't brought back everything they lost. Alongside our partners, we remain with families at every step, with particular attention to women, girls, and adolescents," said Pietro de Nicolai, Head of Mission in Venezuela, Plan International.

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To support children affected by the earthquake in Venezuela and other global crises, visit plancanada.ca/donate/children-in-crisis.

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About Plan International Canada

Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International has been building powerful partnerships with and for children for almost 90 years and is now active in more than 80 countries.

We stand with children, especially girls, wherever they are oppressed, exploited, left behind or not equally valued. We’re determined optimists and will continue to persevere until we are all equal.

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