Venezuela: Medical Care & Emergency Relief

Last Saturday, the first members of Peace Winds’ disaster response team arrived in Venezuela, and they have started working in Caracas with local partners to deliver earthquake relief. They were joined on Wednesday by a larger group of Peace Winds doctors and nurses who are preparing to provide emergency medical support for local health facilities and workers.

Our staff report that thousands of families are sleeping in parks and tent encampments without access to running water, soap, toilets, and other daily necessities. Concern is growing that those who survived the earthquake now risk falling ill. So Peace Winds is currently distributing emergency supplies to shelters and encampments. This includes hygiene items, sanitary pads, bottled water, juice for children, diapers, and other baby supplies.

In Caracas’ Parque del Este, thousands of evacuees, many of them young children, are sheltering in tents. The encampment is being run by evacuees themselves, and survivors are sharing donated supplies and volunteering to help one another. However, there is concern that relief items will be unevenly distributed, with some areas already having a surplus and others having none at all.

The devastation in nearby La Guaira is breathtaking, and many neighborhoods of Caracas have suffered extensive damage. Thousands of people are injured, but many clinics and hospitals are damaged or destroyed. There is also a great strain on the health system; unlicensed students are helping treat survivors in some places. Makeshift clinics have been set up in buildings like schools where workers and volunteers are triaging patients and treating the most severe injuries. In many cases, those with relatively less severe injuries have been unable to get treatment.

The plane carrying the first Peace Winds team was packed with disaster responders from around the world, as well as people flying home to check on their loved ones. Our staff have been humbled by the many words of gratitude they have received from the people on the ground. 

Your donations help us provide flexible support as needs evolve, both now and in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you to everyone who has donated and sent kind messages. Like you, our hearts are with the families and communities affected by this tragedy.