The scale of Venezuela's earthquake disaster has overwhelmed the nation's ability to respond, according to an international humanitarian organization.
"The scale of the response does not meet the scale of humanitarian need," the International Rescue Committee wrote in a statement to NBC News.
Venezuela has been reeling from two June 24 earthquakes that devastated the country. The twin 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes collapsed hundreds of buildings throughout the country and compromised much of the country's infrastructure.
At least 1,943 people are confirmed dead and over 10,500 injured, according to Venezuelan health officials. More than 43,000 people remain missing as of June 30, per a tracking website established for families to report loved ones.
"As the death toll rises, needs are skyrocketing," the UN refugee agency said in an online alert on Tuesday. So far, more than 6,400 people have been rescued.
The International Rescue Committee said that even before the earthquake, Venezuela was in dire straits, with an estimated 8 million people needing humanitarian aid.
The IRC reported that the national water system had failed in many areas since the earthquake. Many areas are also without power.
"What we are seeing is catastrophic," said Nicole Kast, IRC Venezuela Country Director.
"People have lost everything in a matter of seconds, and the need for immediate support is overwhelming. In some of the hardest-hit areas, damaged infrastructure and limited civil response capacity mean people may be trapped and unable to reach safety or be reached by those trying to help. We are working to get supplies to frontline workers as fast as possible so that lives can be saved," she said.
More than 2,200 rescuers from 27 countries and 140 search dogs have been deployed. CNN reported that the U.S. has committed $300 million so far, while the EU is providing €5 million. UNICEF estimates 1.8 million people, including 680,000 children, now need humanitarian aid.
UNICEF stated that it had sent a shipment of 20 metric tons of medical supplies, tents and water and sanitation items to Valencia from the organization's regional warehouse in Panama on June 27. Another shipment of 47 metric tons of humanitarian supplies secured from its European Union stockpile reached Venezuela on June 30.
NBC News reported that the World Food Programme has asked for $50 million to help provide emergency food assistance. The WFP hopes to help feed as many as half a million people in Venezuela over the next three months.
So far, the agency has delivered about a month's worth of food such as cereals, dry beans, lentils and vegetable oil, to 1,200 people in La Guaira. It is also setting up temporary feeding centers.
