Latin American communities around Australia are rallying to support the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Venezuela.

Owner of the Papelon café in Melbourne’s Footscray Rebeka Hurtado recently held a fundraising sale of Venezuelan ‘arepa’ buns to raise funds for the victims of the quakes.

A Venezuelan herself, Rebeka said the money raised would go to non-government organisations supporting victims and survivors.

“My family are all safe, but they  are working to help others who have been affected by the devastating earthquakes,” she said.

“My cousin has lost his house, but he is a doctor, and he is working for the community to help people who have been injured.

“It is devastating event of heartbreaking dimensions. It’s just horrible but we are doing what we can.

“There are 10 million Venezuelans outside of the country and we feel it is important to do something to help out people,” Rebeka said.

More than a thousand queued up in the streets around the café, near the Footscray market, to buy arepas and make donations.

The event sold 2000 arepas and raised almost $5,000 in sales and donations and  fundraising will continue until the end of the month. Among the 50-or-so volunteers at the event were Venezuelans, Colombians, Brazilians, Paraguayans, Ecuadoreans as well as locals.

Footscray local Tom Phillips said he felt compelled to donate after seeing the scale of the devastation in Venezuela.

“When I saw local business was doing something to help what is one of the biggest human catastrophes in recent years, I just felt I had to contribute,” he said.

“There is a definite feeling of solidarity here today. When you see the craziness and conflict that is going on in the world today, it is good to see people coming together to do something positive,” Tom said.

Latin American community peak body LASSA said all Latin American communities were responding to the earthquake disaster.

Spokesman for the South Australia-based organisation Luis Gardeazabel said the disaster had affected Latin American communities in Australia.

“We are all members of the broader Latino community in Australia, so we are all involved in doing what we can to help,” Luis said.

Melbourne-based Venezuelan community leader Nelson Ventura said that most community members doing what they could to help the victims of the quake.

“Venezuelans are horrified by what has happened buy we are all doing what we can to help both out families and communities back in Venezuela. People are raising money, sending support to their families and sending message of comfort,” he said.

The International Organisation for Migration estimated that up to 6.67 million people could be affected by the two quakes that struck northern Venezuela on June 24.

The agency warned that displacement will continue to increase as people seek safety. At least 3,000 people were killed and 13,000 injured by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes, and 3,140 families have lost their homes, according to official figures.

More than 51,000 people were still missing three days after the quakes, with rescue efforts hampered by frequent aftershocks and damage to infrastructure.

More than a week after twin earthquakes hit Venezuela on 24 June, humanitarian needs are “skyrocketing” relief agencies warn.

An estimated 50,000 missing as of 2 July – and desperate Venezuelans are still digging through rubble in the in the ever-shrinking hope of finding survivors or simply trying to recover the bodies of loved ones.

Thousands remain without shelter, access to basic services is limited in many areas, and food is short.

In the worst hot La Guaira state, 40 per cent of the displaced are sheltering in streets, public spaces, churches, schools, or improvised shelters, according to the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR.

Meanwhile UNICEF estimates that 680,000 children need assistance, with aid workers fearing outbreaks of measles, diphtheria, and other diseases.