Venezuela earthquake: Rescuers look for survivors as death toll rises to 188, US authorises transactions | Top updates
Venezuelans, on Thursday (local time), continued to search for survivors under collapsed buildings, while rescue teams rushed to northern areas rocked by twin powerful earthquakes
Venezuelans, on Thursday (local time), continued to search for survivors under collapsed buildings, while rescue teams rushed to northern areas rocked by twin powerful earthquakes on Wednesday evening. At least 188 people have died so far, and over 200 were still believed to be trapped from the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that struck in Venezuela in over a century and were felt throughout the region. According to reports, at least 1,500 people were injured, while thousands were reported missing, as buildings were evacuated as far away as Brazil's Amazon. Also Read | Venezuela rocked by two magnitude 7 earthquakes; tsunami alert issued The twin earthquakes struck west of the capital, Caracas, toppling buildings and severely damaging the country's main international airport. As rescue teams continue to look for survivors trapped under rubble, two of America's most accomplished urban search and rescue teams, including those from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, are being deployed to Venezuela, CNN reported. Here are the top updates on the Venezuela earthquakes 1. The Venezuelan government will create an initial $200 million reconstruction fund using resources from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to finance repairs to infrastructure, hospitals, and housing, interim president Delcy Rodríguez announced.
She said that the fund will “allow us to rebuild infrastructure, hospitals, and build homes for those who lost theirs." Officials also discussed setting up an additional fund to support victims, as public and private banks will activate special credit lines for those who lost businesses or jobs. 2. In his first on-camera remarks, US President Donald Trump reiterated his intention to help Venezuela on Thursday. In a Truth Social post, he wrote, "The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!! Additionally, the US Treasury also issued a license authorising transactions related to earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela that would have been banned under sanctions until October. Washington said that it was mobilising $150 million in assistance after Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised a "whole-of-government response" that would be "big... fast and... effective." 3. Apart from Washington, several other countries offered assistance to earthquake-hit Venezuela. While the United Nations said it is sending its certified rescuers to help with the search for survivors, Spain and France are sending dozens of specialists.
The BriefWire