Red Cross says Venezuela quake recovery will take years

The Red Cross said recovery from Venezuela's June 24 earthquakes will take years, one month after the disaster killed more than 5,000 people.

Scott Craig, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said urgent needs include health care, mental health support and access to safe drinking water. He said many families are still using bottled water for drinking, cooking and washing.

Craig said survivors are dealing with anxiety, fear, grief and sleeplessness after losing relatives, homes, jobs and livelihoods. He said more than 5,000 people are dead, close to 17,000 are injured and about 23,000 are still living in temporary shelters.

He said health centres, schools, water systems, power networks and sewerage systems were destroyed or badly damaged. Thousands of people with chronic health conditions are still not receiving regular treatment, he added.

The 7.5- and 7.2-magnitude earthquakes struck north of Caracas and destroyed hundreds of buildings, especially in La Guaira state. Search teams are still looking for bodies under rubble, but operations have shifted from immediate rescue work toward humanitarian aid and rebuilding.

The IFRC is seeking 50 million Swiss francs, or $60 million, to help 300,000 people over two years. The appeal is 25 percent funded.

The report said oil-rich Venezuela has faced years of widespread poverty linked to economic mismanagement and pressure from the United States and its allies. It said that pressure has eased since Washington deposed then-president Nicolas Maduro in a military operation in January, but that the government's economic needs in responding to the crisis remain significant.