A British specialist search and rescue team has been deployed to Venezuela to aid in the aftermath of two powerful earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday. The Royal Air Force (RAF) plane carrying 68 personnel, along with essential equipment such as sniffer dogs and drones, departed from Brize Norton airbase on Friday evening.
The UK government has also announced £2 million in humanitarian funding for Venezuela. The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude and striking seconds apart, have resulted in a death toll nearing 1,000 and displaced tens of thousands of people. The epicenters of the quakes were located approximately 100 miles (160 km) west of the capital, Caracas.
International rescue efforts are underway, with hundreds of aid workers arriving or en route to the South American nation to assist in the search for survivors. Hospitals in the most affected regions are reportedly overwhelmed and facing shortages of critical supplies.
As of Friday evening, a website for reporting missing persons indicated that over 52,000 individuals were uncontactable. The British rescue team comprises firefighters and specialists from across the United Kingdom, coordinated by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service with support from the RAF. The deployment also includes humanitarian, medical, and security specialists.
Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez stated on Friday that 215 aftershocks had been recorded since the initial earthquakes. A state of emergency has been declared, and transportation services including airports, rail, and other transit systems have been halted. The earthquakes caused widespread destruction, leveling buildings and creating a significant demand for aid among the homeless population.
