Canada announces $5M in humanitarian aid for earthquake-hit Venezuela

The Canadian Foreign Ministry announced Thursday that it will provide an initial $5 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts following devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.

The ministry said the earthquakes caused "immense loss of life and widespread damage," while the full scale of the disaster remains unknown.

It warned that hundreds of thousands of people may be affected and said humanitarian efforts must be urgently expanded to deliver life-saving assistance to those most in need.

The funding will support experienced humanitarian partners providing emergency food, water, sanitation and health services, as well as protection and logistics support, the ministry said.

The latest assistance builds on nearly $4.5 million in humanitarian funding allocated earlier this year to respond to needs in Venezuela.

"The scale of devastation in Venezuela caused by these earthquakes is heartbreaking," Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a statement.

She said families had lost loved ones and communities had been torn apart, adding that Canada stands with the people of Venezuela.

Anand said Canadian officials remain engaged with regional partners and humanitarian organizations as needs continue to evolve.

The ministry said Canada is continuing to monitor the situation and will provide further details on the allocation of the new funding in the coming days.