The authorities in Mérida have prioritized protocols for preventing the loss of human lives. Photo: Courtesy
Guacamaya, June 26, 2025. Intense rainfall recorded in western Venezuela has generated an emergency situation in several states in recent hours. Mérida has been the most affected, with a total of 12 municipalities impacted by the rainfall—six of them with considerable damage—and at least 273 families affected, according to the official report.
“As of now, we have 273 families affected by this situation, and we have been assisting them since yesterday,” stated Governor Arnaldo Sánchez in a telephone interview with the state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV). The regional leader explained that they have prioritized efforts to “safeguard human lives” and no fatalities have been reported so far.
The heavy rainfall is associated with tropical wave No. 9, according to reports from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMEH), and its interaction with the Intertropical Convergence Zone has caused rivers and streams like the Mucujún and Chama to overflow. This has led to the collapse of roads and compromised the passage between Mérida and Trujillo.
The University of Los Andes (ULA) was forced to suspend activities at its campuses in Mérida, Táchira, and Trujillo as a preventive measure due to the vulnerability of its university community. However, the academic institution took the initiative to promote citizen mobilization campaigns to organize aid and donations for those most affected.
Roads, Homes, and Production Affected in Other Regions
In Barinas, the rains have left at least 37 families affected, especially in areas near the Barinas-Mérida road, according to reports from Civil Protection. The overflowing of adjacent rivers and streams, which caused landslides and mudslides, has blocked access to several communities in the mountain axis and hinders assistance to the community.
In Trujillo, the municipalities of Boconó and Campo Elías have been the most severely impacted, with at least 30 homes affected, in addition to landslides, fallen trees, and damage to agricultural production. The overflowing of the Burate River caused alarm in the General Ribas parish, while other rural parishes became isolated.
Serious effects were also reported in Táchira, with at least 44 families affected and material losses in several municipalities. Additionally, residents have demanded a definitive solution to the collapse of a bridge over the Pedernales River, as government machinery has been unable to stabilize the passage due to constant rains washing away the fill.
In Zulia, the municipality of Machiques de Perijá suffered severe flooding due to the collapse of drainage systems and canals in vulnerable communities. INAMEH indicated that the movement of tropical wave No. 9 from the center to the west could cause areas of varying intensity winds and rain in Zulia and other western regions of the country.
Official Response and Citizen Action
The Minister of Transportation, Ramón Velásquez Araguayán, announced immediate attention in Mérida, Barinas, and Trujillo to restore affected roads. “At this moment, our teams and machinery are mobilizing to restore transitability in the affected localities, once weather conditions allow us to complete the work,” he expressed via Instagram.
For his part, the Cardinal Emeritus of Caracas, Baltazar Porras, called for solidarity and mobilization of aid for the most affected families. “Deep concern over the rains that are causing disasters and difficulties on the roads for all our farmers and producers in the páramo area,” highlighted the religious leader.
INAMEH forecasts that the tropical wave will continue to generate scattered rains and showers in much of the country, especially in regions such as Bolívar, Amazonas, La Gran Caracas, Andes, and Zulia. In this regard, it urges the population to stay informed and avoid traveling through high-risk areas. Meanwhile, the population itself has undertaken evacuation, cleaning, and assistance efforts.
