U.S. Calls Venezuela Earthquake Response Largest Humanitarian Operation of the Century

The United States government has declared its humanitarian response to the recent earthquakes in Venezuela as the largest natural disaster relief operation it has organized in the 21st century. This assessment is based on the substantial volume of resources mobilized and the swiftness of the deployment.

Jeremy Lewin, the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Foreign Assistance and Humanitarian Affairs, highlighted the unprecedented scale of the mission. He stated that, by virtually any measure, this operation surpasses previous U.S. responses to natural disasters in terms of personnel deployed, funds distributed, and speed of execution. The U.S. Foreign Assist Twitter account also shared Lewin's statement, emphasizing the magnitude of the effort.

From the initial hours after the earthquakes struck on June 24, the State Department activated a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and a special coordination group. Their objective is to channel humanitarian aid to the most affected areas, particularly in Caracas and La Guaira state. The U.S. has dispatched specialized urban search and rescue teams, including highly trained canine units for locating survivors, alongside medical personnel and helicopters.

U.S. authorities have indicated that the committed assistance currently exceeds $300 million. This figure is part of an expanding operation, with resources expected to increase as rescue and recovery efforts continue and further needs are identified on the ground. The U.S. response is being coordinated with Venezuelan teams and other international brigades working in the country, where thousands of rescuers are actively engaged in affected zones.

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This is, by really any estimate, at this point the largest response to any natural disaster the United States has mounted in this century in terms of personnel on the ground, money out the door [and] speed.