Victims and other residents in Venezuela’s hardest-hit areas have overwhelmed relief services provided by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the wake of last month’s powerful twin earthquakes. The increased demand for aid coincides with a United Nations appeal for approximately $300 million to assist 1.3 million people in urgent need across the South American nation.
Doctors in the Catia La Mar community, located in the northern state of La Guaira where much of the devastation occurred, reported a noticeable increase in skin conditions and diarrheal diseases on Thursday. There has also been a surge in requests for medications to treat chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. These emerging health issues are often linked to overcrowded living conditions and inadequate water and sanitation, problems that in many communities existed even before the earthquakes.
U.N. relief chief Tom Fletcher, during his visit to Venezuela, told The Associated Press that after two weeks, people at displacement sites are seeking treatment not just for immediate injuries like fractures, but for longer-term health needs. “It’s vital that we’re there for them,” he emphasized.
The June 24 earthquakes tragically killed 3,811 people. Venezuelan officials reported that 190 buildings collapsed and 856 others sustained damage. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s government estimates that about 18,000 people were left without homes. The displaced are now residing in temporary shelters, schools, sidewalks, parks, plazas, and other public spaces.
Among those seeking help was Irma Echarri, 67, who visited a mobile unit hoping for new supplies of her usual eyedrops and pain reliever. She also sought treatment for persistent nose pain that developed after the quakes. “It hurts a lot,” Echarri said while waiting, adding, “It hurts because it hurts.” Although her home was undamaged, many of her neighbors are now living in temporary accommodations or outdoors.
Zulbey Reyes, 41, another displaced resident who lost her job as a nanny due to the earthquakes, sought treatment for chest pain at a clinic run by the Venezuela-based organization Paluz in partnership with the global relief agency International Rescue Committee. After being diagnosed and receiving medication, Reyes recounted, “I thought it was my heart that was sick. But it’s a nerve that became inflamed after the screams that day.”
The United States has provided most of the earthquake-response aid so far, according to Fletcher, who heads the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Much of the on-the-ground assistance is being delivered by local groups collaborating with global humanitarian organizations. Mobile kitchens, clinics, and field hospitals are now a common sight in public areas of La Guaira.
The current widespread presence and operational freedom of NGOs in Venezuela stand in stark contrast to the repression and persecution they faced in recent years. While Rodríguez served as vice president under former President Nicolás Maduro, organizations were frequently accused of anti-government activities, and the U.N. local human rights office was expelled. Fletcher noted the shift, stating, “When you have a crisis of this magnitude, people put the politics to one side and are able to focus on saving as many lives as possible, and that’s what I’m seeing so far in this response.”
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has estimated the direct physical damage to housing and infrastructure to be around $37 billion.
