{"id":237415,"date":"2026-07-15T15:04:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T01:04:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=237415"},"modified":"2026-07-16T09:33:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T19:33:02","slug":"saving-lives-after-venezuela-earthquake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/07\/15\/saving-lives-after-venezuela-earthquake\/","title":{"rendered":"Saving lives after Venezuela\u2019s twin earthquake disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Venezuela
(Photo credit: iStock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When disaster struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, the Pacific Disaster Center<\/a> (PDC<\/abbr>)—a University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> applied science center—was ready. Two massive earthquakes, measuring M7.2 and M7.5, devastated the region, triggering the largest international urban search and rescue (USAR<\/abbr>) mobilization in the region\u2019s history. As 67 international search and rescue teams converged, the PDC<\/abbr>\u2019s DisasterAWARE<\/a> technology became the critical lifeline for coordinating their efforts as an authoritative data provider.<\/p>\n

\"bulldozer
(Credit: World Food Programme)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The response began within minutes. Six minutes after the earthquakes, DisasterAWARE had issued early warnings for the quakes and tsunami hazard, along with estimated impacts and needs. By 11 minutes, PDC<\/abbr> Smart Alerts had reached more than 3.5 million DisasterAWARE users worldwide. And within 30 minutes, direct operational support to responders had activated, with continuous updates flowing thereafter.<\/p>\n

Real-time assessments<\/h2>\n
\"2
PDC<\/abbr> briefs on USAR<\/abbr> locations and team activities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PDC<\/abbr>\u2019s initial estimates placed 13.5 million people within the shaking zone, including a vulnerable population of 4.46 million—many of whom live in informal hillside settlements exposed to destruction from quakes and rain-triggered landslides. With so many vulnerable people inside the shaking zone, and critical infrastructure badly destroyed, impeding USAR<\/abbr> and humanitarian relief access, ground-level situational awareness and advanced logistics planning became critical to the mission.<\/p>\n

With PDC<\/abbr> analysts directly embedded into mission operations, real-time impact assessments flowed quickly to decision makers. The Center also developed 96-hour needs forecasting and infrastructure updates that guided responders through severed roads and collapsed buildings. DisasterAWARE acted as the central nervous system, integrating data from dozens of organizations—including the U.N. and the World Food Programme—into a single, unified view.<\/p>\n

\"Venezuela
(Photo credit: iStock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“We don’t just provide data. We provide clarity in the middle of chaos,” said PDC<\/abbr> Deputy Executive Director Erin Hughey. “When 2,500 responders from around the world arrived with different systems, we bridged the interoperability gaps. By creating a shared operational picture, we ensured that aid and rescue teams were deployed to the areas that needed them most, turning complex data into decisive, lifesaving action.”<\/p>\n

Anticipating needs<\/h2>\n

The center\u2019s role proved vital. From identifying functional airports and seaports for relief cargo to flagging emerging demands in health systems and transitional sheltering, the PDC<\/abbr>\u2019s forward-looking analytics allowed planners to anticipate needs before they became crises.<\/p>\n

The mission is not finished. PDC<\/abbr> platforms remain the operational backbone for tracking evolving impacts, coordinating relief and supporting evidence-based decisions as Venezuela\u2019s recovery continues.<\/p>\n

Read more at PDC<\/abbr>.<\/a><\/p>\n

—By Chani Goering<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Advanced Pacific Disaster Center technology provided critical insights after Venezuelan earthquakes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":237420,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[1409,955,947],"class_list":["post-237415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-disaster-emergency","tag-pacific-disaster-center","tag-uh-system","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t