Dominica announces US$500,000 donation for Venezuela’s earthquake recovery

Dominica: The Government of Dominica has pledged a US$500,000 donation to support Venezuela’s earthquake recovery efforts. Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan government and its people following the disaster, saying Dominica will continue to support and assist them in every possible way.

The tremors have resulted in loss of life, injuries and widespread destruction in the country. PM Skerrit said, “Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been a valued friend and neighbour, and our thoughts and prayers remain with all those who have been affected.”

During the press conference, he referred to this as a “tragic event” and said that this event has reminded of the significance of solidarity and cooperation in times of crisis.

Dr. Skerrit acknowledged that the widespread destruction caused by the twin quakes would take the government and the people a lot of time and effort to go back to normal. He said that Dominica will continue to stand with Venezuela and is ready to provide more assistance if necessary.

The earthquakes struck Venezuela on 24 June leaving behind dozens of collapsed buildings, thousands of injured people, and large-scale destruction. The death toll from the disaster has climbed to 2,595 while the rescue efforts are ongoing. The recent tremors are being referred to as the strongest quivers in a century and many other countries have also offered help to Venezuela for effective recovery.

The US has deployed more than 900 personnel inside the country for rescue and relief, this is the largest disaster response the U.S has mounted. The UN has estimated direct physical damage at $6.7 billion, which is equivalent to about 6% of the country's gross domestic product.

According to the Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, more than 12,000 people have been injured while the number of missing people were not specified. The tremors that hit Venezuela on Wednesday are the strongest ones recorded in the history of Venezuela since 1900.

The quakes flattened the buildings across Caracas and La Guaira, which are the most affected states of the country. The Simon Bolivar International Airport was also severely damaged and has been shut down.

According to a preliminary satellite analysis by NASA and Oregon State University researchers, 58,870 buildings are likely damaged or destroyed by the earthquakes.

With massive destruction recorded across the nation, countries across the world have offered humanitarian assistance including, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Cuba and Switzerland.