Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has launched an urgent appeal in response to the catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela as member charities on the ground provide essential aid.
Two catastrophic earthquakes have hit Venezuela. Buildings were reduced to rubble in minutes. Hundreds of people have been killed, and the death toll continues to rise. Thousands more are injured, and the country’s hospitals are under extreme pressure.
The UN estimates that millions of people have been affected, with more than 2 million in the worst impacted areas.
Now the survivors urgently need shelter, food, water, and medical care.
SUMMARY OF THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION
Families are sleeping in makeshift tents on the street. Power lines and roads have been destroyed, and people are cut off from essential supplies. DEC charities and their local partners have been working in Venezuela for many years and began responding quickly after the earthquakes struck.
Venezuela was already facing a severe economic crisis before the earthquakes. The needs are now overwhelming.
Your support can be a lifeline for families affected by this devastating disaster.
DEC MEMBER CHARITIES NEED TO RAPIDLY SCALE THEIR RESPONSE
Fourteen DEC member charities are either responding or actively planning a response in Venezuela, demonstrating strong operational capacity across the membership.
They are providing emergency medical treatment, delivering meals and food baskets, and ensuring people have access to clean drinking water. More funds will help them to reach more families in need on the long road to recovery following this crisis. Though the full extent of the damage is yet to become clear, this is a significant humanitarian disaster that will require a large-scale and long-term response.
MOST URGENT NEEDS
Shelter, food, water, and medical care:
£10 – could provide essential hygiene supplies to a family to prevent illness
£25 – could help provide emergency food support to a family for a week
£50 – could provide shelter kits for three families whose homes have been destroyed
HOW TO DONATE
Online: dec.org.uk
Phone: 0370 60 60 900 (Standard network charges apply).
Text to give/SMS: text SUPPORT or HELPU to 70150 to donate £10. (Texts cost £10 plus your standard network rate).
Send a cheque by post to: DEC Venezuela Earthquake Appeal, PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA. For full terms and conditions visit dec.org.uk.