Emergency declaration after heavy rainfall causes widespread flooding and evacuations in western Venezuela

Tropical Wave 9 interacting with the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) brought intense rainfall to Venezuela on June 24, resulting in severe floods, landslides, and river overflows across multiple states.

According to the Venezuelan Civil Protection and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), over 4 700 people were affected, either displaced, evacuated, or in need of urgent assistance.

The Andean states of Mérida, Trujillo, and Táchira were among the worst hit. In Mérida, zones including Tabay, Mucuchíes, and Mucurubá experienced evacuations as rising waters cut off roads and triggered slope collapses. The Barinas-Mérida highway was closed due to mudslides and tree falls, isolating parts of the state.

In Trujillo state, the municipality of Boconó endured over 12 hours of sustained rainfall on June 24. Communities such as Miticún, La Vega, and La Sabanita saw widespread flooding of homes.

The situation became critical in Mesitas, parish General Ribas, where the Burate River overflowed near the bridge between the river and La Coneja ravine, threatening residents and prompting the activation of emergency protocols.

Landslides were also reported in San Miguel, Niquitao, Mosquey, and across the parishes of Guaramacal and Vega de Guaramacal, complicating access and raising risks to rural populations.

Municipal authorities in Boconó deployed a coordinated prevention and response operation, monitoring stream and river levels, clearing blocked roads, including Avenida Los Leonesm, and preparing for possible evacuations in high-risk zones.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMEH) continued to issue rainfall warnings for Zulia, Delta Amacuro, Bolívar, and the Llanos occidentales, with forecast models indicating the persistence of unstable atmospheric conditions.

Emergency authorities, including Protección Civil, are maintaining high alert and have activated temporary shelters across several municipalities.

References:

¹ Rains hit Boconó communities – Los Andes – June 24, 2025

² Venezuela declara emergencia por fuertes lluvias en el Occidente del país – TeleSURtv – June 24, 2025

Reet Kaur

I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.

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