WASHINGTON,D.C. – It’s been a week since earthquakes devastated communities in Venezuela. The death toll is more than19-hundred people and the State Department confirmed at least four Americans have died due to the earthquakes. At least a dozen Americans are still unaccounted for.
This week search and rescue teams are still recovering people buried in the rubble. Local and international groups, including specialized search and rescue teams from the US were mobilized to Venezuela to help.
“They come with tremendous skills,” said Mignon Houston, deputy spokesperson for the State Department. “300 total personnel. They’re physicians, firefighters, first responders, K-9 teams. They save lives. It’s been miraculous of what they’ve been able to do.”
Houston said the US took a leading roll in repairing the runways at Caracas International Airport to allow for the arrival of humanitarian assistance.
“We are seeing significant supplies come in,” said Houston. “We ourselves have been able to land two dozen C-17, these large military planes with critical supplies and we know more will come.” She adds the US has sent humanitarian aid like food, water, santization and other relief efforts to Venezuela. “We are putting up mobile hospitals and individuals that can help treat trauma. “It’s incredible. The supplies we’ve been able to get on the ground and the expertise we’ve been able to get on the ground to help the citizens of Venezuela.”
The State Department said their next focus is on the humanitarian relief effort.
“We’ve also mobilized 300-million dollars and that money is important because it’s going to organizations on the ground that can disperse it to the front lines,” said Houston. “But in this next phase we are also thinking about economic recovery and that’s why the us government is working closely with Treasury to ensure every dollar of Venezuela’s oil production is going back to the economic recovery to be able to support the citizens of Venezuela post these earthquakes.”
As of Wednesday July 1, the death toll is now a little more than 1,900 people.
The State Department is also urging people to watch out for scammers if you’re looking to contribute to relief efforts. State has a page on their website they said are vetted organizations that are helping the relief efforts in Venezuela.
