CARACAS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- On the streets of Catia la Mar, a coastal town in La Guaira state and among the areas hit hardest by Venezuela's June 24 twin earthquakes, China's humanitarian aid has become a visible presence.
On a visit to Catia la Mar on Friday, Xinhua found soldiers from Venezuela's Bolivarian National Armed Forces pitching 36 tents on a university campus -- each one meant for a different family of up to six.
Nearby, more Chinese-donated tents were going up in a square outside the Catia la Mar Community Market -- the same square residents of the Jose Antonio Paez complex had fled to in the earthquakes' first chaotic minutes, after their buildings, though left standing, were badly damaged.
"We arrived with nothing. We ran to this place after the earthquakes," said Barbara Griman, one of the affected residents.
She voiced gratitude to Xinhua for the aid from China.
"We can see it is from China, and we are thankful for this help," Griman said. "Thanks to international aid, we have been able to survive this great natural disaster, which has affected so many families and caused so many losses."
Griman said the tents would be a great help as residents wait for permanent solutions.
German Machado, another affected resident, said people had previously been staying in small tents, but the new tents offered better protection.
"At least now we are more sheltered, more protected," he said.
"Thank you very much for the support you are giving us after this disaster here in Venezuela," Machado told Xinhua. "Please do not forget us. Do not forget us. You are a brotherly country, and we hope you will continue helping us."
The death toll from the June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 4,118 as crews continue to clear rubble in the hardest-hit areas, local authorities said Friday. As of Thursday's latest official update, authorities had established 89 temporary camps sheltering 16,891 displaced people.
The first batch of emergency humanitarian relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Venezuela arrived Monday at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, near the Venezuelan capital Caracas.
Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez on Wednesday expressed gratitude for the humanitarian aid provided by 28 countries, including China. "Venezuela never tires of thanking the countries, the peoples of the world, and the governments of the world that have offered a helping hand," Rodriguez said.
In camp after camp, blue Chinese tents are going up -- a small, visible sign of a much larger relief effort. ■
