Venezuela Earthquake Appeal

Please help Islamic Relief support people affected by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela with essential survival items.

The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck the north of the country within 40 seconds of each other on 24 June. The second quake was one of the strongest tremors to hit Venezuela in a century, at a magnitude of 7.5.

Key stats

• More than 5,500 people have been confirmed dead so far, but the figure continues to rise.
• Over 16,700 individuals have been injured. This figure is also expected to rise.

Authorities continue working to recover bodies more than a month after the disaster, with the toll continuing to climb as rubble is cleared and workers reach areas previously inaccessible areas.

More than 1,500 aftershocks have rocked the country, causing families already left homeless by the quakes to flee their shelters. More than 20,000 remain displaced, often in overcrowded shelters.

Power, water, gas, and communications services have been disrupted across several areas. The United Nation’s disaster risk reduction body puts the total physical damage at $37 billion – approximately 30% of Venezuela’s GDP.

The earthquakes come amid a years-long economic crisis in Venezuela, which has seen rampant hyperinflation, the collapse of infrastructure and basic services, and millions of people leaving the country.

Islamic Relief has launched an emergency appeal to support those affected by the earthquake in Venezuela. We are on the ground working with local partners to deliver aid including food packs, hygiene kits, clothes, mattresses, drinking water and medical supplies. 

The food and hygiene packs are specially designed for families who have lost their homes and can be used despite power cuts and lack of refrigeration. The packs include things like oil, cans of meat and tuna, powdered milk, sanitary pads, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and toilet paper. Each family receives initial packs to last 1 week.

“Tens of thousands of families are still homeless and still urgently need aid like food, shelter and medicine,” Islamic Relief’s Omar Khalifa, part of Islamic Relief’s early response team in Venezuela, says.

“The situation at some of the evacuation sites is complete chaos, with people in distress and searching for loved ones who are still missing and they don’t know if they’re dead or alive. They don’t know whether to grieve or keep hoping. Families are sheltering in basic tents and trying to work out what to do next and how to get help. Children are sick and don’t know where to go to get treatment. 

“But local volunteer groups like the ones we’re partnering with are working miracles to get aid to people. They just need more support as the scale of need is so huge.” 

Your generosity is a lifeline to people struggling to survive catastrophic conditions in Venezuela. Please help Islamic Relief to support them by donating to our Global Emergencies Fund today.