Over 2,200 Rescuers from 27 Countries Mobilized in Search Efforts Under Rubble in Venezuela

Original article: Más de 2200 rescatistas de 27 países trabajan en búsqueda bajo los escombros en Venezuela

The latest UN report from Venezuela indicates that over 2,200 rescuers from 27 countries are currently on the ground, working tirelessly to locate individuals trapped under the rubble following the earthquakes on June 24.

This deployment is supported and coordinated by the UN, with a preliminary assessment through UNDP estimating the direct physical damage caused by the earthquakes at around $6.7 billion.

So far, rescuers have come from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, alongside teams from Germany, Czech Republic, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, Jordan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Qatar, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Syria, Switzerland, and Turkey.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reported that at the request of the Venezuelan government, 44 international urban search and rescue teams (USAR) have deployed 2,245 specialists and 140 search dogs to extract potential survivors from collapsed structures and provide initial medical care.

The situation is quite complex. According to UNDP, about 8.6 million people were exposed to moderate or greater shaking, including approximately 2.1 million who experienced the most intense tremors. Additionally, the assessment indicates that 1.7 million structures were located in the affected areas.

Satellite data also points to disruptions in electrical supply in parts of Carabobo, La Guaira, Caracas, and Aragua, where a reduction in nighttime illumination was detected following the earthquakes.