Venezuelans in the United States are urgently organizing donation drives after devastating earthquakes struck their home country, killing at least 188 people and injuring hundreds more, officials said. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes on Wednesday night caused severe damage to Caracas' main airport, potentially delaying aid delivery.
Community Mobilization in Florida
Oscar Torres, a sales manager who moved from Venezuela to Doral, Florida, in 1995, described the flurry of activity on a WhatsApp group connecting Venezuelans with their families. “Already this morning, I was looking at the group in Doral and everybody’s pitching in — money, medicine, water. First, necessity items,” Torres said. “They’re talking about making the first shipment ASAP.” Doral, outside Miami, hosts the largest Venezuelan population in the US.
Damage and Casualties
The earthquakes, among the strongest in Venezuela in over a century, left thousands missing and caused widespread destruction. Photos show injured children, animals, and civilians covered in dust and blood being pulled from rubble. The closure of Caracas airport complicates efforts to get aid into the country quickly.
Efforts in Texas
More than 770,000 Venezuelans live in the US, with large communities in Texas, Utah, and Florida. In the Houston area, residents used Facebook groups and social media to promote local donation sites. First aid supplies like gauze, bandages, antiseptics, gloves, masks, syringes, thermometers, and blood pressure monitors are in high demand. Many collection points are in Katy, a Houston suburb nicknamed “Katyzuela” due to its high Venezuelan population.
Daniel Arenas, a maritime consultant who immigrated ten years ago, translated a Spanish-language donation appeal into English and shared it on LinkedIn. “I came to this country ten years ago, built a life here, but my heart is still in Venezuela,” Arenas said. “It’s devastating what’s happening over there. They don’t have the resources to handle this.” His wife’s aunt, in a Caracas high-rise, sent a distressed WhatsApp message. “She was crying and screaming and saying she was in pain but not sure from where,” Arenas said. “She said she lost everything. She was desperate.” His wife later reached her aunt.
Support from Florida Officials
In Doral, local officials and advocacy groups spread the word online and in news conferences about donation needs. Torres plans to contribute money. He has uncles and cousins in Caracas and Valencia, another hard-hit city. Some were injured fleeing buildings. “Their homes are destroyed and a few buildings have collapsed,” Torres said. “Thankfully, I don’t know anyone who passed away.”
