DEC launches Venezuela Earthquake Appeal

Today (Wed 1 July) the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched an urgent appeal to raise funds to reach people affected by the catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela, which have killed at least 1,700 people and left thousands more injured and in need of medical care.

The scale of the destruction in Venezuela is vast. Buildings were reduced to rubble in minutes following two back-to-back earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 which struck close to Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas just after 6pm local time on Wednesday 24 June.

Around 2,500 buildings are believed to have been destroyed. Venezuela’s authorities have declared a state of emergency and the UN estimates that millions of people have been affected, with more than two million in the worst impacted areas. At least 50,000 people are estimated to still be missing.

The DEC brings together 15 leading aid charities at times of crisis overseas. Fourteen member charities are responding in Venezuela including the British Red Cross, Christian Aid and Save the Children.  

DEC charities and their local partners have been working in Venezuela for many years, including the Venezuelan Red Cross. They are already providing emergency medical treatment, food and drinking water, but funds are urgently needed to reach more families. Every pound donated by the British public will be matched by the UK Government through its UK Aid Match scheme, up to the value of £2 million.

Alex Pendry, Head of Emergencies at the British Red Cross:

“The scale of the disaster is becoming increasingly clear, five days after the earthquake, the level of devastation in Venezuela is stark. Communities in La Guaira and parts of Caracas have suffered extensive damage, and essential services like water, electricity and communications remain disrupted. Many families are still displaced because it is not safe to return home.

“The response is shifting from immediate lifesaving work to a large, coordinated national and international operation. The Venezuelan Red Cross continues search and rescue, ambulance services and medical care, while international support is increasing. Conditions remain extremely challenging - damaged roads, unstable buildings and ongoing aftershocks are making access difficult but our teams are doing everything possible to reach the hardest‑hit communities.”

Notes to editors

About the DEC: This is the DEC’s 80th appeal, and August will mark 60 years since the first appeal.

The DEC brings together 15 leading UK aid charities at times of crisis overseas to raise funds quickly and efficiently. In these times of crisis, people in life-and-death situations need our help and our mission is to save, protect and rebuild lives through effective humanitarian response.

The DEC’s 15 member charities are: Action Against Hunger, ActionAid UK, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide UK, International Rescue Committee UK, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Oxfam GB, Plan International UK, Save the Children UK, Tearfund and World Vision UK. 

About the British Red Cross

For over 150 years, the British Red Cross has helped people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. With millions of volunteers in over 190 countries, the British Red Cross is part of an international humanitarian Movement that’s there for people before, during and after a crisis. Together, we are the world’s emergency responders. www.redcross.org.uk