CARACAS, (Xinhua) — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will help Venezuela restore its potable water system after it was damaged by back-to-back earthquakes in late June, the official Venezuelan News Agency reported on Wednesday.
UNICEF will work with Venezuela’s water ministry on “key infrastructure” in the north-central state of La Guaira, the region hardest hit by the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes.
The projects, scheduled to begin in October, are expected to benefit 250,000 residents, including approximately 76,200 children and adolescents, according to the agency.
“Following the catastrophic damage caused by the earthquakes, the priority has been ensuring that children have access to safe water,” said Manuel Rodriguez Pumarol, UNICEF’s representative in Venezuela.
UNICEF noted on its website that the actions carried out so far with its support “have enabled 16,661 people, including 5,079 children,” to gain access to safe water.
UNICEF also called on “national and international partners to maintain their support, help consolidate the progress made, and accelerate the recovery of water, sanitation, and hygiene services in the affected communities.”
The June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela have killed more than 6,000 people, mostly in La Guaira state, and caused severe damage to regional infrastructure, including a major water treatment plant.
