back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela, with a 7.1 magnitude quake followed roughly a minute later by an even stronger 7.5 magnitude quake, centered just west of the capital. Buildings have collapsed across Caracas, where rescue crews are searching for survivors. Among the strongest quakes to hit the country in over a century, the disaster has left families displaced and communities in urgent need.
The GEM team, partnered with our long-term Venezuelan partner I Love Venezuela, is currently mobilizing in response to the developing situation. Our recon and emergency response teams are deploying immediately and is expected to be on the ground this Friday. From here, we will be assessing needs, coordinating with local partners, and begin our response operations.
GEM has previously operated in Venezuela in response to the refugee crisis in 2019, where we had developed critical smart partnerships that will allow for us to respond to this disaster more efficiency and with greater reach.
