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Venezuela welcomes 1,600 foreign rescuers in urgent search for quake survivors

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Venezuela has welcomed 1,600 foreign rescue team members to aid in the search for survivors after devastating twin earthquakes.
  • The earthquakes have claimed over 900 lives, and access to the hardest-hit state of La Guaira has been restricted.
  • International aid is arriving, but residents and volunteers in affected areas have reported shortages of heavy equipment and a limited official presence.

Venezuela is receiving significant international assistance in the aftermath of devastating twin earthquakes, with 1,600 foreign rescue team members arriving to bolster search efforts. The natural disaster has claimed more than 900 lives, and the government has tightened access to La Guaira, the state most severely affected.

Despite the arrival of international aid, residents and volunteers in La Guaira, a popular beach destination where at least 100 buildings were destroyed or damaged, have voiced concerns about shortages of heavy equipment and a limited official presence in the initial days following the quakes. The government stated that an additional 10 countries are expected to join the rescue operations, with 14,000 military and police personnel deployed in La Guaira for patrol and sanitary measures.

In recent hours, Venezuela has received 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 members of rescue teams, and over the next 24 hours, the arrival of 25 additional flights is expected.

— Oliver BlancoForeign ministry official, detailing the incoming international rescue support.

Foreign ministry official Oliver Blanco announced the arrival of 17 flights carrying over 1,600 rescue personnel, with 25 more flights anticipated within 24 hours. "We thank the international community for its support and solidarity during these moments of uncertainty for Venezuelans," Blanco stated on X.

While rescue efforts are underway, some areas remained without an official presence on Friday, leaving families and neighbors to search for loved ones in the rubble, sometimes with their bare hands. Officials closed the road between La Guaira and Caracas, citing heavy traffic hindering emergency vehicle passage. Civilians not part of official teams require credentials to pass the roadblock. Power outages persist in some of the hardest-hit areas, though restoration efforts are ongoing, with 60% of electricity reportedly back online in some regions. The country's power grid has been historically unreliable due to underinvestment and economic sanctions.

We thank the international community for its support and solidarity during these moments of uncertainty for Venezuelans.

— Oliver BlancoExpressing gratitude for global assistance following the earthquakes.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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