Venezuela earthquakes leave 680,000 children in need of assistance: UNICEF
Damage to hospitals, schools, and water systems is exacerbating the situation for affected families, many of whom remain displaced. The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and
Damage to hospitals, schools, and water systems is exacerbating the situation for affected families, many of whom remain displaced. The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, left at least 1,430 people dead and 3,238 injured, according to the latest official count. More than 3,100 families have been affected, while authorities continue to assess the damage and aftershocks maintain uncertainty in the affected areas. The search continues On Saturday, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Venezuela, Gianluca Rampolla, carried out his first mission to La Guaira, the most state most affected by the earthquake, accompanied by several UN agencies. The visit included a tour of some of the hardest-hit areas and the coordination centre for search and rescue teams. Together with the authorities, the mission also made progress in identifying locations to install services for families who lost their homes or cannot return to them. Rampolla highlighted that, alongside the destruction and the anguish of the families, he found that neighbours, volunteers and rescue teams from around the globe had mobilised in support of the victims. “At a time when we’re always focused on the bad things happening in the world, here’s a gesture of solidarity from around the globe to support Venezuelans,” he said. “The first priority is to get the people still alive out of the rubble, and that’s why supporting and coordinating the teams arriving from all over the world is so important.
At the same time, we have to support the survivors.” Soundcloud Teams from 27 countries, with more than 2,200 rescuers and 140 search dogs, are working to locate people trapped under the rubble, with UN support in coordination. Writing on social media, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher and head of its humanitarian agency OCHA, stressed that “every minute, every hour, counts.” A representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies described the emotional impact of the search efforts, in which hope, pain, and fear of aftershocks are mixed. “People haven’t lost hope. Hours pass, but all efforts are focused on saving lives and helping people,” he said. “The sense of community is immense. There’s a strength that comes from the desire to find friends and loved ones, and that’s mixed with pain, with fear because the earthquake is still shaking, and with immense fragility.” © WFP/Gustavo Vera A children's emergency UNICEF's new estimate reflects a crisis that extends far beyond collapsed structures. For hundreds of thousands of children, the earthquake has jeopardised access to healthcare, safe water, protection, and education. “Hospitals are operating beyond capacity, thousands of children lack reliable access to clean water, and many schools have been damaged,” said Manuel Rodríguez Pumarol, UNICEF Representative in Venezuela. “UNICEF is working with the Venezuelan government and its partners to scale up support for children and families, but sustained funding will be essential to maintain the response in the coming weeks.” The agency indicated that damage to hospitals in La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo, Aragua and Falcón is affecting the care of children and pregnant women.
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