Two weeks of unrelenting rain has led to flash flooding in northern Venezuela and on December 16, the Government of Venezuela (GOV) declared a State of Emergency for seven states (Zulia, Falcon, Yaracuy, Nueva Esparta, Carabobo, Tachira, and Miranda), the department of Vargas and the Federal District of Caracas.

As of December 19, the GOV has confirmed at least 5,000 dead, though unofficial estimates (based on missing persons) range up to 7,000. The Civil Defense figures state that 94,000 people have been left homeless and an additional 130,000 have been temporarily evacuated.

The state of Vargas is considered the hardest-hit. The Caracas-La Guaira highway is closed to all but humanitarian vehicles, and the coastal roads are almost completely destroyed. Venezuelan Navy ships are bringing 800 tons of drinking water to coastal victims and a naval transport is housing 200 internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The U. S. Embassy reports that Maiquetia airport is serving as the GOV relief headquarters, containing a triage center and a shuttle stop for IDPs that are being relocated to the interior and to Caracas. More than 10,000 evacuees are sheltered there.

The GOV reports that many roads and bridges are damaged or destroyed, and flooding and landslides currently isolate many communities. In addition, national and international airports serving Caracas are closed to commercial flights.

The U.S. Embassy reports that within the Caracas metropolitan area, cleanup operations have begun in many areas, although some main avenues remain covered in mud.

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SATERN is currently set up to provide the much needed "Health and Welfare" communications with the areas affected by the flooding.

If you have relatives in the affected area and wish to inquire into
their welfare, you can send an e-mail message to SATERN and it
will be relayed via Amateur (HAM) Radio to a station in Caracas.