NEW YORK, June 26 (Xinhua) — The United Nations (UN) is mobilising assistance and working closely with the government and aid partners in response to the Venezuela earthquake emergency, UN humanitarians said on Thursday, reported Xinhua.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that it is orchestrating the deployment of urban search-and-rescue teams arriving from several countries.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said in a statement that the UN and its humanitarian partners are fully mobilised to support the people of Venezuela.
UN agencies in Venezuela are mobilising assistance and will deliver support as quickly as possible, he said, adding that the UN team is in close contact with Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodriguez and relevant national authorities.
Fletcher said that even before the earthquakes, nearly eight million people in Venezuela were in need of humanitarian support. “This disaster risks deepening existing vulnerabilities.”
Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency, while international support is rapidly mobilising multiple offers of assistance from across the region and beyond.
A central coordination hub has been established in Caracas, and the UN is supporting efforts to ensure that assistance reaches those most in need as quickly and effectively as possible, he said.
The spokesman said that reports indicated significant destruction across several states, including in the capital Caracas, reportedly killing and injuring many people, while others remain trapped or are still missing. Critical infrastructure has been damaged, and basic services have been disrupted.
The secretary-general welcomed the offers of solidarity and support from UN member states.
“The secretary-general expresses his solidarity with the people and Government of Venezuela,” Dujarric said.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the effects of the earthquake are likely to exacerbate existing protection risks, particularly for returnees, displaced people and communities already facing barriers to services.
“These risks include heightened risks of gender-based violence and unsafe or inadequate housing, and reduced access to health care, water, education and livelihoods, among others,” UNHCR said.
