Many families who survived the earthquake are still homeless, searching for news of loved ones, and struggling to get food, shelter and medicine, Islamic Relief’s response team on the ground reports.

Omar Khalifa is part of Islamic Relief’s emergency response team in Venezuela, working with local partners to deliver food, shelter and medical supplies to survivors of the earthquakes. He says: 

“Tens of thousands of families are still homeless and still urgently need aid like food, shelter and medicine.

“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. 

“Now people are afraid the world’s attention will start to shift away while they still need urgent help. 

“The scale of the destruction is unimaginable. We just got back from one building that had completely collapsed and the ceiling had become the floor. We’re still getting tremors and aftershocks – yesterday some of the volunteers we’re working with had to evacuate their building because one of the aftershocks was so strong. Every aftershock causes people even more distress and trauma.”

Islamic Relief is working with local partner networks to deliver aid including food packs, hygiene kits, clothes, mattresses, drinking water and medical supplies.