On August 10th, Colombia was dealt a 7.4 magnitude earthquake, where 1.2 million are in need of aid currently. On June 24th, Venezuela was dealt two powerful earthquakes occurring within the same minute, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, leaving 1.8 million people in need of aid. In Colombia, more than 300 people have been killed and more than 400 remain missing. In Venezuela, more than 6,000 have been confirmed dead and more than 40,000 missing. While the earthquakes that occurred in both Colombia and Venezuela are not related, they both raise headlines due to the disaster they’ve caused.
According to NPR, Colombia’s earthquake, while still disastrous, is called an intermediate-depth earthquake. This means the earthquake happened about a hundred kilometers underneath Earth’s surface, and due to the depth, its strength in terms of damage is more spread out. Venezuela’s two earthquakes were closer to the surface of the Earth, hence causing much more damage in a smaller area, Catia La Mar in La Guaira state, a dense urban area. Nearly one third of buildings were damaged in the state. Among the millions of people in need in both South American countries, children are the hardest hit population. In both countries, schools were some of the most damaged buildings, and organizations like UNICEF are rapidly moving to help those children in need. In Venezuela, around one third of the schools in the Capital District and Caracas were damaged. In Colombia, an estimated 1,087 schools have been affected. People are concerned about the lack of resources and safe spaces for children, which organizations like UNICEF are responding to.
In Venezuela, even two months after the earthquakes, thousands are still displaced and struggle to earn income for their families due to infrastructure damage. Vulnerable populations additionally now face greater difficulties getting support due to the higher need. Venezuela is receiving direct help from local community organizations, and aid from international programs like UNICEF and the UN. The UN has delivered both on the ground and fundraising help, and the Humanitarian Response Plan for Venezuela has received $274 million so far. Otherwise, donations have been the biggest help in terms of supporting Venezuela after the devastating earthquakes.
The UN has placed similar efforts for the earthquake in Colombia, focusing on health, food security, and protection from falling infrastructure with emphasis on serving vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women. The UN allocated $5 million of its emergency fund directly after the earthquake in Colombia, as well as a $148.1 million emergency appeal for other earthquake-stricken communities.
In a world greatly impacted by global warming, donating and giving attention to climate issues overseas is now more important than ever. Climate change refugees will increase as disasters occur more frequently around the world, and we are seeing it unfold before our eyes today. These issues affect families of those living in the United States as well, who might have lost or cannot find family members impacted by the earthquakes in South America. Especially concerning is the different responses by both of the countries’ governments, where Colombia was in a state of emergency within the hour of the earthquake, and Venezuela’s acting President waited 4 hours to address the nation. Support in any way possible for the families affected is needed, as well as awareness. Please consider supporting and reading families’ stories affected, as they recall family members lost but their memories remembered forever.Â
Tribuno del Pueblo stands with Venezuela and Colombia in the midst of these disasters, and urges supporters to donate to organizations listed here: Venezuela/Colombia.Â
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