Venezuelans in Ontario Express Fears After Earthquakes

Venezuelans residing in Ontario are expressing their worries for friends and family after two earthquakes hit Venezuela on Wednesday evening, with the death toll continuing to rise.

Shortly after 6 p. m. local time, a 7.2 and a 7.5 magnitude quake occurred just one minute apart in Morón on the Caribbean coast. This led to several buildings collapsing in Caracas, which is located just east of the epicenter.

“Some of our family members saw how the walls in their house cracked, and some of the things were dropping from the walls: TVs, pictures, and things they had on shelves,” said Rosy Lopez Gross from London, Ont., whose family lives in Caracas.

“In some neighborhoods, people witnessed entire buildings come down right before their eyes. Many were too scared to go back to sleep inside their apartments last night, so they opted to sleep in their cars.”

WATCH | Aftermath from earthquakes in Venezuela:

Videos from Venezuela show building crumble, piles of rubble after quakes

Footage collected by social media users and news outlets displays the aftermath of powerful earthquakes that shook parts of Venezuela, igniting frantic rescue operations in affected communities.

As of Thursday afternoon, 188 people were reported dead, around 200 trapped, and 1,500 injured in Caracas according to the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly.

The death toll could reach at least 10,000 based on estimates from the U. S. Geological Survey.

Luis Mendez of Windsor is trying to connect with multiple family members still in Venezuela. He felt devastated watching footage showcasing destruction across his home country as it was finally beginning to see hope after years filled with economic and political issues.

“If my roof got blown off, I have insurance,” he mentioned. “In Venezuela, people don’t have that safety net. Even if they haven’t lost loved ones, they’ve lost their homes. It’s truly heartbreaking.”

Venezuela’s ‘vulnerable’ infrastructure

Juan Bello, a filmmaker based in London who teaches at Western University also has relatives affected by these earthquakes.

He shared that many residents live in tall apartment buildings; his relatives told him about rushing down to safety when the tremors hit.

“It’s a life or death moment,” he stated. “What you hear from family or friends is that for a moment they thought this was it.”

LISTEN | Venezuelan in London reacts to destructive earthquakes:

Afternoon Drive7:53Venezuelan Londoner describes aftermath of two major earthquakes

Juan Bello joined Afternoon Drive as a member of London’s Venezuelan community to discuss his thoughts on these devastating earthquakes affecting Caracas.

Gross mentioned she contacted her closest friends and immediate family who are physically okay but have experienced damage at home. Some distant relatives and acquaintances remain unaccounted for.

“The level of sadness is indescribable especially since this is happening during such a vulnerable time for Venezuela’s infrastructure,” Gross noted while adding that power outages are common and many structures are quite old.

Machado expressed concerns regarding how difficult it will be for Venezuela to continue rescue efforts now and rebuild later.

“Venezuelan infrastructure along with emergency response capabilities has faced severe challenges over recent years. Numerous hospitals lack necessary resources like equipment or medicine needed for effectively dealing with disasters like this.”

Canada preparing aid

Anita Anand, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister announced Thursday afternoon that an initial $5 million will be provided by the federal government as humanitarian aid supporting emergency relief efforts directed toward Venezuela.

The three individuals from London expressed hopes Canada prioritizes rescue missions over the coming days.

WATCH | Canada sending aid to Venezuela:

Canada to provide Venezuela earthquake humanitarian aid; Carney states

The Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned Canada aims at directing humanitarian assistance towards Venezuela as fatalities increase following two significant earthquakes near its capital on Wednesday. He also added that both Iran and Venezuela exemplify nations where Canada lacks diplomatic presence ‘and that’s certainly not ideal.’

“People here are very supportive so I believe our community will help each other out,” Gross remarked further noting “but there are areas within Venezuela where no rescue teams have reached yet.”
“That’s where most help is needed.”

This fundraising effort has started among Venezuelans living within larger Canadian cities; many individuals have begun sending donations via Red Cross channels too.
Machado underscored how vital community support would become moving forward.

“The government isn’t likely going provide much support; it’ll probably fall upon community efforts instead,” he stated.

“While we know Venezuelans demonstrate resilience often enough this type strength alone won’t suffice during times like this.”

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