China GEO Mobilizes Satellite Support for Venezuela Earthquake Response
06 Jul 2026
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela on June 25, 2026, causing widespread damage in La Guaira state, north of the capital Caracas. According to figures released by the local government on July 2, the death toll had risen to 2,595 and the number of injured to 11,267.
In response to a request from the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office, the GEO China Secretariat activated its Disaster Data Response (CDDR) mechanism to provide Chinese satellite imagery in support of disaster response.
More than 25 Chinese satellites were deployed to carry out emergency observation missions over the earthquake-affected areas of La Guaira state and the capital city of Caracas. Within seven days, 170 GB of post-disaster satellite data, including imagery from the Gaofen-1, Gaofen-3, and Jilin-1 satellites, had been provided to the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office.
The ChinaGEOSS Data Sharing Network (ChinaGEOSS DSNet), hosted by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), also shared these data with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to support its rapid response assessment.
Preliminary building damage assessment in Caraballeda city derived from Jilin-1 satellite imagery. (Image by AIRCAS)
Research News
China GEO Mobilizes Satellite Support for Venezuela Earthquake Response
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela on June 25, 2026, causing widespread damage in La Guaira state, north of the capital Caracas. According to figures released by the local government on July 2, the death toll had risen to 2,595 and the number of injured to 11,267.
In response to a request from the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office, the GEO China Secretariat activated its Disaster Data Response (CDDR) mechanism to provide Chinese satellite imagery in support of disaster response.
More than 25 Chinese satellites were deployed to carry out emergency observation missions over the earthquake-affected areas of La Guaira state and the capital city of Caracas. Within seven days, 170 GB of post-disaster satellite data, including imagery from the Gaofen-1, Gaofen-3, and Jilin-1 satellites, had been provided to the UN-SPIDER Beijing Office.
The ChinaGEOSS Data Sharing Network (ChinaGEOSS DSNet), hosted by the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), also shared these data with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to support its rapid response assessment.
Preliminary building damage assessment in Caraballeda city derived from Jilin-1 satellite imagery. (Image by AIRCAS)