Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Caracas (Agenzia Fides) – Archbishop Roberto Luckert of Coro expressed his concern about the situation that the state of Falcon has experienced for several days, due to heavy rains: “It is still raining. This morning the sun came out, but then it rained again. The eastern areas have collapsed. The situation is very serious and we are making every effort to bring aid.” Archbishop Luckert emphasised that despite the good will of Governor Stella Lugo and many other mayors, certainly “we were not prepared for an emergency of this kind,” and he asked not to use the tragedy of these poor people for political ends.
Archbishop Luckert made these statements at a local Catholic radio station, and also sent them to Fides, expressing the concerns of the Church in this tragedy. The President of the Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Ubaldo Santana Sequera of Maracaibo, launched an appeal to local and regional leaders to work together against the adverse quotas across the country due to heavy rains.
Archbishop Ubaldo Santana noted that “so far the response by our Government agencies has been very rapid, and in general also that by the regional and municipal services that lend a hand in their constituencies in this type of emergency. I would ask them to collaborate more and work more closely together to overcome any kind of political, party, electoral or ideological conflict at this time”, he urged. “Even if we think that next Sunday there will be the elections, we must now think about the good of our brothers who are suffering nature's damages. We must join forces and resources to help them better and as soon as possible,” the Archbishop concluded.
If the rainy season in Venezuela forms a pattern, the same cannot be said of the intensity with which it constantly occurs, causing landslides and floods, sadly taking a toll on human lives. President Chavez has already declared a state of emergency in the two districts where Caracas lies (Miranda and Capital). There, in Vargas and Falcon, the first to be hit, 32,000 people have already been evacuated. According to the agencies, the provisional toll estimates 25 deaths and thousands of houses partially or totally damaged by the floods. According to the latest news 33,442 people were affected by the rains, that is, 7,500 families were forced to leave their homes. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 02/12/2010)
