After the double earthquake devastated parts of Venezuela from Caracas to the Caribbean coast, ACT Alliance members DKH, HEKS/EPER, and LWF began to respond through their local partners. ACT has now launched a 6 million USD appeal for humanitarian support to impacted communities.
The earthquake impacted the region brutally, with the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes occurring just 39 seconds apart and magnifying their effects, destroying and damaging buildings and communities. Over 2500 people are confirmed to have lost their lives, with over 12,000 injured, and 50,000 currently listed as missing. The quakes also destroyed infrastructure, making it challenging to get rescue and relief supplies to the area, in a country that was already facing challenges because of the situation it was facing.
The appeal will operate in Caracas, La Guaira, Miranda, and Maracay. ACT members will provide cash and vouchers where possible, as well as food, shelter and household items (tents, mattresses, cooking supplies, etc), WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), mental health and psychosocial support, livelihood support, and more.
People are requesting food assistance, and water… WASH needs are very important because of the diseases that can come here.
ACT’s approach to the work is always centred in the work of local actors- all the ACT members are working through their local partners, and ACT is taking a Survivor and Community Led Response (SCLR) approach. ACT members coordinate together and with the UN cluster system to make sure the response is as effective as possible. And ACT members keep a focus on quality and accountability through our commitment to the Core Humanitarian Standard.
The full appeal can be found here.
Golda Ibarra, LWF’s country director for Colombia and Venezuela, spoke last week about the situation and the needs:
