Vice chair of the Venezuelan Community in Ireland said the country, which was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday, was not prepared for such a catastrophic event.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors struck about 160km west of Caracas, with 589 dead, 2,980 people injured and thousands more reported missing.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Korahiza Macari said it was “heartbreaking” listening to people’s stories.
“Unfortunately, Venezuela has been going through a completely collapsed system for years and not being prepared, so everything that is coming out of Venezuela is nothing but a complete disaster,” she said.
“It’s hard … it’s close to my heart not to get upset, but it’s not good news anyway, put it that way.”
Ms Macari said they found the body of her cousin’s son last night, a pilot who was on standby near the airport and the hotel he was in collapsed.
“He was missing for two days almost, and his body was found last night, 23 years of age, not easy to swallow,” she said.
Volunteers search for casualties in a collapsed building in Caraballeda, La Guaira state
Asked about trying to contact family members, she said that the infrastructure was not there.
“Electricity does be cut off at all times, even previous to this episode, so everything just pretty much collapse, and it makes it even harder for everybody,” Ms Macari said.
She said stores were closed, and people are finding it difficult to get access to water and produce. “The country is literally on the ground.”
A cousin she spoke with said her brother, a doctor, is treating patients on the street.
“Because we have no hospitals, we have absolutely nothing,” she said.
“We have a collapsed country in every way possible … it’s like a nightmare movie.”
She said she cannot talk about numbers because “the country was not prepared for a catastrophic event like this, on top of it being so collapsed due to corruption and the government and so on”.
Ms Macari added that rescue services were not prepared, and that there was no equipment.
“I can’t tell you numbers, it’s just … it’s bad in every way possible.”
She appealed to all European countries and the European community for help.
She added: “The biggest thing that we face right now is getting the help into the country, educate our rescue teams …”
“To make sure the help is getting into the country because it is so badly needed.”