Dear Colleagues:
As most of you probably know, Venezuela was struck in mid December by
the worst natural disaster in its history, and the third worst in Latin
America during the last century. We will probably never know officially
the number of casualties. and way over  100.000 people lost their loved
ones, their homes, possesions and work.
For us, psychologists, the experience has been overwhelming in every
respect. Besides the inmediate psychological support so badly needed, we
participated in various tasks oriented towards providing and
accomodating people in  improvised temporary shelters (schools, covered
parking lots, churches), where basic needs, as well as support were
looked after, where the organization of the homeless  and their
participation in different commissions oriented towards the maintenance
of the shelters, the provision of  clothing, mattresses, food for
everyone, of special care for those who needed it and of  christmas
gists for every child,  the organization of recreational activities for
children and adolescents,  establishing links with  lost children,
relatives and friends (since  people where rescued and transferred to
different cities and shelters, and hundreds of families where separated
during this endeavor),  looking for transitory accomodations for
thousands of the homeless, etc. began inmediately and helped them  "to
feel alive and empowered ".
All these efforts where made possible due to the enormous solidarity and
commitment of  thousands of volunteers and professionals in various
fields.   Although the above narrative is an oversimplified and
abbreviated description of what happened, I believe it gives you an idea
of the complex  situation we are facing as a country, and the challenges
that as professionals such a tragedy imposes upon us.
The time has come to think of the inmediate future, and it is in this
respect that I write you in order to request whichever informations,
publications, orientations,  you think might be useful for us regarding
the topic of natural disasters. Specifically I am thinking on the
contributions some of you might have made in the field of risk
perception and/ or  prevention, crisis management in  environmental
hazards, community rellocation, rellocation strategies.... and any other
topic you think  might help us  to rebuild our cities,  and our people.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation,

Esther Wiesenfeld, PhD
Institute of Psychoogy
Central University of Venezuela