On June 24, two back-to-back earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 struck northern Venezuela just 5 kilometers apart, killing at least 1,719 people and injuring more than 5,000 others. Tens of thousands more remain missing beneath collapsed buildings and debris, making it one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.
In the days following the earthquakes, rescue efforts were hindered by a slow and ineffective government response. Despite Venezuela having thousands of police officers and military personnel, many survivors have reported having to wait days for organized assistance.
Volunteers and local residents have been forced to take action, digging for family, friends, and other survivors themselves with limited rescue equipment. Reports have also emerged accusing security forces of stealing valuable supplies from aid shipments and preventing rescue volunteers from entering disaster zones with desperately needed supplies.
As conditions worsen, the responses to help Venezuela from all around the world have been staggering, with thousands of people traveling to Venezuela to help and hundreds of thousands organizing donation sites all around the world to get supplies to send to Venezuela.
Across Los Angeles, Venezuelan-owned businesses have transformed into community donation centers, with volunteers working daily to organize and ship emergency aid to those affected by the earthquakes. After visiting many of these locations throughout Los Angeles and interviewing volunteers coordinating aid efforts, what’s actually needed right now has become clear: Sending help is important, but sending the right kind of help is even more critical.