Danny Ocean, Lele Pons and Lasso are among the artists who have turned their social media platforms into a resource for those affected by two earthquakes that struck Venezuela, their home country, on Wednesday night (June 24). The quakes caused the collapse of multiple buildings, primarily in the coastal region of La Guaira, north of Caracas, as well as in the capital city.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, and were felt across the region, according to the Associated Press, which by Thursday morning (June 25) reported at least 164 dead and nearly 1,000 injured.
On social media, videos shared by hundreds of users showed the magnitude of the tragedy, with people fleeing terrified from buildings and shopping centers during the quake, and rescue teams later working to pull survivors and victims from the rubble. Others pleaded desperately for help in locating their loved ones.
Among the first artists to react to the tragedy were Danny Ocean and Lele Pons, who shared a joint post on Instagram calling both those affected and aid groups to use the reach of their social networks — which have more than 50 million followers combined — to request help.
“Places that need immediate assistance, shout in the comments! People willing to collaborate… on whatever is needed, coordinate in the comments,” they wrote in their message. “This post is ONLY for people in Venezuela. We’re leaving this here in case you need to shout for help! And for groups actively collaborating.”
Their compatriot Lasso also offered his platform to those in need. “My heart is broken. I can’t believe the images coming in from the earthquake,” he wrote on Instagram. “My social media is available to share any information that can help everyone in the country.”
Other artists such as Joaquina encouraged their followers to donate to organizations that have been working in Venezuela — a country already battered by political and socioeconomic crises over the past few decades — for years. The Venezuelan singer-songwriter addressed her fellow citizens inside and outside the country who are “looking for a formal and organized way to do their bit.”
“There’s a foundation called We Love Foundation. It’s a non-profit organization that’s been working for the people of Venezuela for over 10 years, both inside and outside the country,” she said in a video posted Wednesday night on her Instagram, where she shared a GoFundMe campaign the foundation set up to deliver “supplies, food, medicine — whatever aid is needed for today’s victims.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first of the two earthquakes, with a magnitude of 7.2, occurred west of Morón, on the Caribbean coast, about 105 miles west of Caracas, at a depth of about 14 miles, AP reported. Just a minute later, the USGS reported a second quake, this one with a magnitude of 7.5, a depth of about 6 miles and an epicenter located 10 miles southwest of Morón.
Several nations have offered to send aid to Venezuela, including the United States, which earlier this year captured former president Nicolás Maduro in a surprise military operation.
