World Jewish Relief predicts humanitarian needs from Venezuela earthquake ‘will last for months’

Water filter provided to displaced non-Jewish community in Venezuela by World Jewish Relief and CADENA (Photo: Mosquito nets installed by World Jewish Relief and CADENA in the epicentre (Photo: Cosmo Robertson Charlton/World Jewish Relief)[Missing Credit]

Silverman recounted how he saw people “digging through rubble with their bare hands, looking for their family. It is deeply sad to see.”

He also described the deep cracks and structural damage of a vast number of buildings and homes.

The charity says its focus has deliberately been on communities on the edge of the epicentre, where humanitarian needs are urgent.

In a  LinkedIn post, following his return to the UK, Silverman wrote: “I was completely shocked by the scale of the disaster, far greater than the initial field reports had suggested. Our local partners, CADENA and the local JCC, were absolutely inspiring and their spirit shone through everything.”
He said that “some images have stuck with me”. These included “’SOS help’” spray-painted on a building in the first days, towers sinking into the earth like the Titanic, a McDonald's standing almost untouched beside a collapsed high-rise, and a small dog that did more for team morale than anyone expected.”

WJR's James Silverman with a dog which survived the earthquake which struck Venezuela (Photo: James Silverman/WJR/LinkedIn[Missing Credit]

He added: “This disaster may not be making headlines, but it will need attention and support for months, if not years, to come.”

Stacey Swimer, director of international programmes and partnerships, said: “We are doing all that we can with the money that we raise to have an impact and to reach those areas that others are not reaching. The scale of need is enormous, and we are so grateful for all of the support, and the more that we can raise, the more that we can do.”

Silverman said: "World Jewish Relief and our supporters can make an amazing difference in the lives of the earthquake-affected people.”

The charity has been working with local partners to help aid Venezuelan communities, including the Hebraica Jewish Community Centre in Caracas and CADENA, an international organisation providing humanitarian aid. They have been providing immediate emergency assistance including hygiene kits and shelter, alongside psychosocial support for children and family members who have been affected.

Mosquito nets installed by World Jewish Relief and CADENA in the epicentre in Venezuela (Photo: Cosmo Robertson Charlton/World Jewish Relief)[Missing Credit]

A key aspect of the work being done in Venezuela has been to rebuild water infrastructure, with waterborne diseases like cholera spreading rapidly without the implementation of water filters for communities.

WJR and its partners will also be expanding its response to support longer-term recovery, including repairing damaged homes within the Jewish community and helping families return safely to their homes.

World Jewish Relief has launched a £500,000 emergency appeal to fund its response. The charity says needs are expected to remain high for many months as families move from the emergency needs for care and into the process of recovering and finding long-term solutions.

In the meantime, the Israeli military’s deployment to Venezuela has become the longest humanitarian assistance mission ever conducted by the Home Front Command.

Some 32 Israeli experts remain on the ground in La Guaira, near Caracas, according to the IDF, assisting Venezuelan authorities in shifting from emergency response to long-term rehabilitation.

To donate to the WJR Venezuela Earthquake Appeal, click here or go to: worldjewishrelief.org/venezuela-earthquake/