Venezuela earthquakes leave at least 164 dead as South Florida organization prepares to send aid to South American nation
A South Florida based organization is rushing to gather aid and supplies to send to Venezuela after powerful back-to-back earthquakes left at least 164 people dead and nearly 1,000 people injured on Wednesday – and those numbers are expected to rise.
Doral-based Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) announced that it has activated its emergency response for communities devastated by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes west of Caracas.
GEM officials said volunteers and staff are assembling and preparing life-saving humanitarian aid at the Miami-Dade headquarters including food, water, hygiene supplies, medical necessities and other emergency relief items to be shipped to the devastated South American nation starting on Thursday.
GEM said that on-site team members are expected to be on the ground in the area starting on Friday.
GEM is asking for donation to help with their aid mission, and you can do so by clicking here.
Flights from Miami to Caracas canceled on Thursday
Because of the powerful earthquakes, which struck just seconds apart on Wednesday, American Airlines has canceled flights to and from Caracas on Thursday.
Two flights were scheduled to depart on Thursday for Caracas from Miami International Airport, which have since been canceled.
In addition, a flight that was expected to depart Caracas for Miami has also been canceled.
The deadly earthquakes in Venezuela heavily damaged the country's main airport – Simón Bolívar International Airport, forcing officials to shut it down.
Nearly 170 dead, 1,000 injured in Venezuela earthquakes
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said early Thursday that at least 164 people were dead and 971 injured after a pair of powerful quakes rocked Venezuela.
She had earlier put the death toll from the Wednesday night quakes at 32, but said it was expected to rise as rescuers searched collapsed buildings and emergency crews worked to access devastated areas.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquakes had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.
The agency estimated the powerful earthquakes in Venezuela could have killed thousands of people, with a 42% chance of at least 10,000 fatalities, though that is based on historical averages and does not take into account many factors specific to this event.