World Food Programme to Aid 500,000 in Venezuela After Deadly Quakes

The World Food Programme (WFP) is launching a major emergency operation to provide food assistance to up to 500,000 people in Venezuela over the next three months. This initiative comes in the wake of two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, that struck the country eight days ago.

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In this moment, the objective of the World Food Programme is to provide emergency food assistance to up to 500 thousand people for a period of three months. These are the most immediate needs of the people who have lost almost everything.

The devastating tremors have left a significant toll, with official figures reporting 2,295 deaths and 11,267 injuries. A substantial number of people remain missing, and the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. The WFP's intervention aims to address the most immediate needs of those who have lost nearly everything.

"In this moment, the objective of the World Food Programme is to provide emergency food assistance to up to 500 thousand people for a period of three months," said Lena Savelli, the WFP's regional director, from the heavily impacted coastal state of La Guaira. The WFP is distributing food baskets to families who can still cook and providing prepared lunches and dinners in temporary camps set up by the UN.

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There are many needs for food, health, and water (...) Here, in the camp, we are offering hot dishes, we are also adapting our assistance to the conditions.

Savelli noted that the WFP has issued an appeal for $50 million to fund these critical first three months of aid. The Venezuelan government has identified over 12,000 displaced individuals and established 25 temporary camps, with 13 located in La Guaira, the state most severely affected by the earthquakes. The UN has also set up three transitional camps, supported by various agencies, to assist the affected population.

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The WFP has made an appeal for 50 million dollars to cover the needs of these first three months.