Secretary of State Marco Rubio said additional rescue teams could be sent as emergency efforts continue.
Washington — The United States is deploying search-and-rescue teams to Venezuela following the two powerful earthquakes that struck the country Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday.
Speaking to reporters during an official visit to Bahrain, Rubio said he spoke earlier in the day with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and confirmed that search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles were being deployed.
“We’re already deploying search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles. We’ll be adding more,” Rubio said.
Rubio said the immediate priority is locating people trapped beneath collapsed buildings after the twin earthquakes caused widespread structural damage.
He added that once authorities complete a full assessment of the destruction, the United States will evaluate how it can assist Venezuela in restoring critical infrastructure and telecommunications networks.
Venezuela’s Caribbean region was struck Wednesday by two major earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, just 39 seconds apart.
According to the latest official update provided early Thursday by acting President Rodríguez, at least 164 people have been killed and 971 others injured.
President Donald Trump, who has maintained close relations with Caracas following the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, said Wednesday that he had directed federal agencies to move “quickly” to assist Venezuela, describing the earthquakes as having caused “a devastating loss of life.”
