Venezuela Earthquakes: US Sends Rescue Teams, Aerial Surveillance to Aid Relief Efforts

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday stated that he has been in touch with acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez and that the US has deployed "search and rescue teams" following an earthquake that rattled the country.

Speaking to reporters in Manama, Bahrain, the US Secretary of State detailed the immediate dispatch of American emergency personnel.

Rubio also shared that, with Venezuela's airport "badly damaged", the US Department of War will "deploy assets there".

He added that the government will provide assistance with "overhead imagery" to assess damage, "especially in coastal areas where they don't have full visibility over what the damage has been and what the impact has been."

Which countries are part of the international coalition helping Venezuela after the earthquakes?

"We have a whole-of-government response," Rubio said. "It'll be big. It'll be fast and it'll be effective."

The Secretary noted that a broader international coalition is taking shape, stating that multiple countries have offered to help, including Qatar, El Salvador and Chile.

"There will be some others," he said, adding that these initial deployments are meant to cover "those are the acute short-term needs over the next 48 to 72 hours."

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening. It caused significant damage across several states, collapsing buildings and forcing residents to flee into the streets in panic.

The back-to-back tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, were felt across a vast region. At least 164 people have died so far with the number expected to rise.

Among the critical infrastructure affected was Venezuela’s main aviation hub, Simón Bolívar International Airport, which suffered significant damage and was forced to suspend operations, according to acting President Delcy Rodríguez.

The shaking was felt far beyond Venezuela’s borders. Buildings were evacuated in parts of Brazil’s Amazon region, roughly 1,700 kilometres from Caracas, reported AP.

Rodríguez said UN-certified specialist rescue teams are en route to the country to assist in search-and-rescue operations following the deadly earthquakes.

She said the international teams are already traveling to support ongoing relief efforts and that she has been in contact with several heads of state as well as the UN coordinator in Venezuela.

(With inputs from ANI)