Venezuela is preparing to hand over the first 200 new homes this week to families affected by the two earthquakes that struck late June, as authorities rush to find suitable land and ensure all displaced people are rehoused by September.
In Catia La Mar, one of the hardest hit areas in La Guaira State, Chinese relief teams have established camps to shelter families displaced by the quakes. Among them is Leomaris Reinosa, who arrived with her two children, including a daughter in a wheelchair due to a brain disorder. She described the careful assessment process used to determine survivors’ needs.
"They asked us about how serious the damage to the house was, how many family members lived in the house, exactly where we lived, and the community name. They did another census last night using fingerprint scanning, housing by fingerprint capture, and they asked the same things again - what was the level of destruction to the house after the earthquake," said Reinosa.
Another camp in La Guaira shelters people whose homes need repairs but are structurally sound, as in the case of Javier Coelho.
"They did two inspections and, thanks to God, both were favorable for my building. They gave us the green stripe, so the apartments are habitable, although some modifications must be made. But in the '10 de Marzo' area, there are two buildings with more severe damage, marked yellow; those people need to stay here in the camp until their homes are repaired," said Coelho.
The government has established 108 temporary camps for nearly 20,000 people with varying needs, all receiving social assistance while permanent housing is arranged. That support has eased the initial uncertainty, said camp volunteer Daniel Lopez.
"At first there was a lot of uncertainty, since we are not used to earthquakes here. That uncertainty was overwhelming. But now, thanks to the clear plan explained by our acting president, and since we just completed the census for those needing housing, people's uncertainty has eased," said Lopez.
The Venezuelan government will deliver the first batch of homes this week while continuing to evaluate land for new developments and debate whether to rebuild in previously occupied locations.
