Venezuela: devastation in, around Caracas beyond belief – Jan Egeland

Jan Egeland, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s (NRC) Secretary General has expressed deep concerns about the level of havoc wreaked by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela.

Egeland spoke in a statement issued by the NRC.

The statement reads unedited:

“What NRC aid workers witness on the ground in and around Caracas is devastation beyond belief in the wake of the major earthquakes that had their epicentre West of Venezuela’s capital. The deadly earthquake struck in the evening of a national holiday, when many families were at home. The NRC office building in Caracas sustained damage, but thankfully all our staff are safe and accounted for.

“This earthquake will deepen the suffering for millions already in dire need. More than a quarter of the country’s population needed urgent aid even before the earthquakes.

“NRC has been working in Venezuela for more than two decades and will provide emergency relief to the countless families that have lost their homes and property and have seen loved one perish in the rubble. We are currently assessing the most urgent needs and will seek funding from donor nations and the private sector to scale up our support for those most severely stricken.

“The deep suffering of the crisis-engulfed people in Venezuela has been neglected for too long. For the last three years aid workers on the ground have received less than a third of the funding needed for providing even the minimum of humanitarian relief needed. Donors must urgently step up support as this earthquake has become a catastrophe on top of a crisis. There can be no delay in this support. National authorities and the international community must step up their cooperation immediately to provide relief and enable a viable plan for much needed reconstruction.”