About 14,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid have reached Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that struck the country’s north on June 24, according to a report from Caritas Venezuela. Source: Vatican News.
Of that total, 9000 tonnes have already been distributed, while 5700 tonnes remain in warehouses, ready for the next phases of the relief operation.
According to the first official bulletin released by Caritas Venezuela—Tras el temblor, el amor (“After the Tremor, Love”) — the response has also included the delivery of 73,356 units of medical supplies and medicines through 26 collection points across Greater Caracas and La Guaira, as well as 8000 comprehensive relief kits, 5000 food packages, 3000 hygiene kits, and 1000 kits for emergency response teams.
The report provides a detailed account of the humanitarian operation carried out during the 12 days from June 25 to July 6 in response to the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes. It outlines a relief effort that combined the large-scale distribution of aid with a rigorous system for tracking every shipment.
From the first hours after the disaster — which has so far claimed more than 3800 confirmed lives — Caritas Venezuela activated its diocesan and parish network to assist the hardest-hit communities, including La Guaira, the Capital District of Caracas, and several regions in central and western Venezuela.
Water accounted for the largest share of the aid distributed, totalling 4031 tonnes, followed by 3247 tonnes of food. More than 8000 families received comprehensive assistance, representing an estimated 32,000 to 40,000 people. Overall, about 730,000 food rations have been distributed.
Caritas describes its volunteers as the “heart” of the emergency response. On average, 280 of the organisation’s 3360 registered volunteers take part in relief operations each day, each contributing about seven and a half hours of service, for a combined total of 2100 volunteer hours daily in support of affected families.
The bulletin notes that the resources mobilised so far cover only the initial emergency phase, while recovery and reconstruction will require sustained solidarity over the longer term.
Caritas Australia has been supporting the response, launching a special appeal. To support Caritas Australia’s Venezuela Earthquake Appeal, visit www.caritas.org.au/venezuela.
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Caritas Venezuela: 14,700 tonnes of humanitarian aid received (By Giovanni Zavatta, Vatican News)
