Flooding, massive mudflows affect thousands in Venezuela’s Aragua state

• Homes, buildings and infrastructure damaged or destroyed    

• Disaster exacerbates suffering for those already enduring double economic and COVID-19 crises  

• World Vision mounting response to affected families through local church partners  

Sept. 16, 2020 

Torrential rains triggered flooding and mudflows that damaged or destroyed buildings, roads and infrastructure in the central Venezuelan state of Aragua Sept. 10. Eyewitness videos showed buildings and roads near Maracay being overtaken by debris-filled mudflows brought by an overflowing Limón River. Unofficial reports indicate as many as 1,600 people have been directly affected and more than 270 homes and buildings have been damaged or destroyed. No deaths have been reported. But national authorities dispatched 3,200 first responders to treat injuries, provide medical attention, bring relief to remote communities and begin a clean-up effort. Power and communications lines have been knocked out and first responders are struggling to reach remote communities.  

“This truly is a dire situation,” said Pastor Jose Piñero, national coordinator for World Vision's Hope Without Borders Church Network in Venezuela. “We’re talking about people who have lost all their belongings.”  

For the thousands of Venezuelans affected, this natural disaster brings a new layer of suffering in the midst of a double crisis brought on by the years-long economic and political crisis and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. This is the worst natural disaster to hit the area in more than 30 years, local sources said. Key urgent needs include: clean drinking water, food, hygiene supplies, and emotional help for children.  

“I feel very motivated to look for ways to serve,” Piñero said. “I feel responsible for motivating churches to serve, to organize to generate a response that can help alleviate the pain and difficulties that these families are experiencing.” 

World Vision and the Hope Without Borders Church Network are working to reach the immediate needs of affected families in Aragua. We are mobilizing local churches to reach 300 families (about 1,200 people) with emergency relief that includes food, water and hygiene kits.  

Please consider partnering with us to continue helping families in Aragua recover and rebuild. 

ENDS.  

For further information or to organise an interview, please contact:  

Chris Huber, Communications Manager, World Vision Venezuela Crisis Response 

CEL: +1-360-319-4338  I  EMAIL: chris_huber@wvi.org 

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.  For more information, please visit wvi.org or follow us on Twitter @WorldVisionLAC