Philadelphia-area Venezuelans are donating rescue tools and medicine to aid victims of massive earthquakes

The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul was a center of resilience Sunday, as dozens of Philly Venezuelans gathered to collect aid for folks affected by two earthquakes that struck the South American country on Wednesday.

Emilio Buitrago, 52, was driving home when his brother called, telling him a 7.2 magnitude earthquake had decimated their home city of La Guaira, about 18 miles north of Caracas, the capital. Less than a minute later, a second tremor took place, this time reaching a magnitude of 7.5.

One of his cousins was unaccounted for, for two days before being located on Friday morning.

“My three cousins lost their homes; they are alive by a miracle. My uncle managed to get out, but he’s injured,” Buitrago said. “They are sleeping in the street because it feels safer [in case buildings collapse] and they said it’s starting to smell like decomposing bodies.”

Since the earthquakes, Buitrago’s brother has been working nonstop, he said, removing rubble with his bare hands due to the lack of tools and machinery.

Thousands of miles away from home, Buitrago thought the best way to help was to go to the cathedral and help with collecting donations and praying.

By 1 p.m., 15 boxes sat on the area outside of the Cathedral’s chapel, being filled with donated masks, first aid supplies, medicine, electrolytes, nasal relief products, and more.

Alex Moreno, president of the local nonprofit Gente de Venezuela, said the donations will be sent to Caracas, where their contacts are connecting with on-the-ground rescuers.

“It has to be now, when we still have a chance to try to help get the people who are still trapped under the rubble out alive,” Moreno said.

So far, the death toll has risen to 1,430 people, according to CNN, with many Venezuelans taking to social media to ask for help moving the structural debris to rescue their loved ones.

Besides collecting physical donations, both Gente de Venezuela and another nonprofit, Casa de Venezuela, are raising funds through an umbrella group, the Venezuelan Organizations Network in the United States. By late Sunday afternoon, $16,310 had been donated for the effort, which has a goal of $75,000.

That money, Moreno said, is destined for buying tools to help rescuers dig through the rubble. A first batch of hammers, gloves, drills, masks, and other supplies has been purchased with that money and sent to Venezuela, Moreno said.

For future physical donations, he recommends following Gente de Venezuela and Casa de Venezuela to see where they will be receiving donations next.

“The hope is to try and help rescue as many people as possible, because the rescuers on the ground are saying that the tragedy is too big for the number of hands able to help back home,” Moreno said.

Despite the pain, the community is sticking together and his group plans plan to continue with their planned participation in the July 3 Salute to Independence parade in Philadelphia, to honor both the lives lost and the rescuers, Moreno said.

“Above all, we are people of resilience, and we will continue to be here to support our community,” Moreno said.