AmeriCares Responds to Flood-Struck Venezuela

AmeriCares Foundation
Wednesday, 9 February 2000

Flood survivors still need our help

Situation: The powerful floods and mudslides that hit Venezuela's northern coastline in mid-December, killing up to 60,000 people and injuring thousands, continue to wreak havoc on the nation. The flooding destroyed sewage pipes and water treatment plants along hundreds of miles of coastline, causing dangerous levels of sewage pollution. Venezuelan authorities warn that contaminated water supplies pose a serious threat to the coastal population, an estimated 200,000 of which are now homeless. Continued heavy rains have produced further damage and thwarted relief efforts.

Response: AmeriCares' tent sites in Venezuela are now operational, providing shelter for up to 1,500 of the nation's flood victims. 200 high-tech, weatherproof tents arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday, February 9. The tents departed from the port of Miami along with 50 water purification units, capable of producing 60,000 gallons of drinking water every 24 hours. AmeriCares relief workers and volunteers erected the tents in the flood-struck regions of Vargas and Miranda State. The water purification units were installed in local hospitals and communities worst affected by the disaster. AmeriCares is working in collaboration with the Cisneros Foundation, the Venezuelan Ministry of the Environment and the Venezuelan Ministry of Health to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of families affected by the recent natural disaster.

AmeriCares has delivered approximately 250,000 pounds of medical relief supplies to flood-struck Venezuela since the disaster. In a series of three airlifts within one week, AmeriCares provided over 140,000 pounds of essential medicines, antibiotics, vaccines, nutritional supplements and other relief materials. AmeriCares' first relief airlift arrived in Caracas on December 21. Following these initial three airlifts, the organization delivered an additional 110,000 pounds of life-saving aid to flood survivors in Venezuela. AmeriCares is committed to helping the people of Venezuela for the duration of their recovery from this devastating crisis.

Credentials: Since its inception in 1982, AmeriCares has delivered nearly $3.7 million worth of relief supplies to Venezuela. AmeriCares is registered with the U.S. Agency for International Development (License #A0275), and we are a licensed drug wholesaler. We are also a licensed DEA Exporter (License #RA0178170). AmeriCares solicits donations of medicines, medical supplies, and other relief materials from manufacturers, and delivers them quickly and reliably to indigenous health and welfare professionals in over 130 countries around the world. Financial contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations are used to defray the cost of AmeriCares' programs. Since 1982, AmeriCares has maintained an operating overhead of less than 2%. AmeriCares is the world's largest private nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs-- and supports long-term healthcare programs-- for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion.

For more information, or to contact AmeriCares Foundation, see their website at: www.americares.org