By Zoila Palma: International rescue teams and humanitarian aid have begun arriving in Venezuela as emergency crews race to find survivors following two devastating earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday.
Officials say the death toll has risen to 589, with 2,980 people injured, while hundreds remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, Reuters report.
A government website established to help locate missing persons had received reports for approximately 50,000 unaccounted-for people by this morning.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck less than a minute apart about 160 kilometers west of Caracas during a public holiday, causing widespread destruction.
The coastal city of La Guaira was among the hardest-hit areas, where at least 100 buildings, including high-rise apartment complexes, collapsed. Residents continued searching through the rubble with their bare hands and makeshift tools, saying heavy rescue equipment and government assistance were slow to arrive.
Rescue teams from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, India, Switzerland, Spain, El Salvador and Colombia have joined recovery efforts, while the United States announced US$150 million in humanitarian assistance and temporarily eased sanctions to facilitate aid deliveries.
The U.S. military has also dispatched ships, helicopters and aircraft to support search-and-rescue operations. Meanwhile, Venezuelan volunteers organized motorcycle caravans to deliver food, water and other essential supplies to affected communities.
The post International News: Foreign rescue teams arrive in Venezuela as Earthquake death toll nears 600 appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: International rescue teams and humanitarian aid have begun arriving in Venezuela as emergency crews race to find survivors following two devastating earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday. Officials say the death toll has risen to 589, with 2,980 people injured, while hundreds remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, Reuters report. A government
The post International News: Foreign rescue teams arrive in Venezuela as Earthquake death toll nears 600 appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.