International governments and humanitarian organizations are rapidly dispatching aid to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes on Wednesday resulted in at least 188 fatalities and over 1,500 injuries, with officials anticipating a rise in these figures.
The seismic events, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude approximately 160 km west of the capital, Caracas, caused significant damage, affecting at least 250 buildings and trapping an estimated 200 individuals in debris.
The United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs, through its aid chief Tom Fletcher, is coordinating the deployment of international urban search-and-rescue teams. Fletcher emphasized the critical need for a substantial collective effort to support the government's response and assist affected communities, noting that the disaster could exacerbate the vulnerability of the approximately 8 million Venezuelans already requiring humanitarian assistance prior to the earthquakes.
In response, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the deployment of search-and-rescue teams from Virginia and Los Angeles, stating that these efforts represent the most immediate need. Pope Leo XIV has allocated €100,000 from the Vatican's charity fund for relief, while Chef Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen has begun distributing meals in Caracas and pledged an additional $1 million from its Longer Tables Fund. El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele indicated that 300 rescue workers and paramedics, along with 50 tons of medical supplies, are prepared for deployment. Mexico has dispatched a team of rescue and medical personnel, with President Claudia Sheinbaum stating that further assistance will be evaluated on Friday. Spain is sending 57 soldiers from its search-and-rescue unit and 40 firefighters, in addition to plans to establish a field hospital. Italy's Civil Protection agency is deploying an advance team to coordinate the arrival of additional rescuers, with firefighters, the defense ministry, and the air force mobilizing support.
