A California pastor has died and his wife has been seriously injured after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela during a visit to celebrate his birthday, according to his family.
Pastor Romildo Batista de Lima, who led Worship Church Ministries in Riverside, California, had travelled to Venezuela with his wife, Carlha Nacarid, to mark his 69th birthday on 21 June. Three days later, earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck northern Venezuela.
The couple were caught when a wall collapsed during the earthquake, relatives said.
“In a matter of seconds, everything changed. During the earthquake, a wall collapsed on them. Romildo was rescued and taken to the hospital, but despite every effort, he did not survive,” the Delima family and Delima’s niece, Luciene Ferreira, explained on the GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $20,000 (£15,000).
Nacarid survived but suffered serious injuries.
“Carlha Nacarid, survived the earthquake but suffered severe injuries, including two broken legs and a fractured pelvis. She will undergo the surgeries she urgently needs in Venezuela, and the funds raised will also help cover the medical expenses associated with her treatment and recovery,” they added.
Pastor Miguel Gonzalez-Mateo, a friend of Pastor Delima, told CBS Los Angeles that the hotel where the couple had been staying in Caracas collapsed. One of Pastor Delima’s sons said his father was struck by a falling wall. Pastor Delima is survived by three grandchildren.
"We will miss him all the time. He's like a best friend for me," Gonzalez-Mateo told CBS LA. "We feel so sad in all the congregation. We must pray for the family.”
His relatives described him as someone who lived out his faith with “compassion, humility, and unwavering love”.
The family has launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for Mrs Nacarid’s medical treatment and to repatriate Pastor Delima’s body to Brazil, where they say he wished to be buried beside his mother.
“His final wish, and his family’s wish is for him to be laid to rest in Brazil, beside his mother and surrounded by the rest of his family. Bringing him home has become an overwhelming financial burden during an already unimaginable time,” the family stated.
Relatives said they had sought assistance from government agencies to bring Pastor Delima home and secure medical support for Mrs Nacarid but had been unsuccessful.
“We have spent the last several days desperately trying every possible avenue for help. We reached out to government agencies and anyone we thought could assist us, hoping they could help bring Romildo home and help Carlha get the medical care she needs. Sadly, despite all of our efforts, we have not received the support we were praying for,” the family said. “It is incredibly difficult for our family to ask for help, but today we have no other choice.”
Over 2,200 people have been confirmed dead since the earthquakes struck Venezuela on 24 June and over 10,000 injured.