Two catastrophic earthquakes have hit Venezuela.

They struck within seconds of each other. Buildings were reduced to rubble in minutes. The scale of destruction is huge.

Hundreds of people have been killed, and the death toll continues to rise. Thousands more are injured, and the country’s hospitals are under extreme pressure.

The UN estimates that millions of people have been affected, with more than 2 million in the worst impacted areas.

Now the survivors urgently need shelter, food, water, and medical care.

Families are sleeping in makeshift tents on the street, with little protection from the heat and rain. Power lines and roads have been destroyed, and people are cut off from essential supplies.

Venezuela was already facing a severe economic crisis before the earthquakes. The needs are now overwhelming.

DEC charities are working with their local partners to reach people with emergency aid.