EFE.— The United Kingdom announced on Friday that it will provide £2 million (€2.3 million) in humanitarian assistance to Venezuela and deploy a search-and-rescue team to support relief efforts after Wednesday’s twin earthquakes, which have claimed at least 920 lives and injured 3,360 people.
The British government unveiled the humanitarian aid package in a statement and confirmed the deployment of a 68-member search-and-rescue team, including six specially trained dogs. The team is already on its way to Venezuela to assist ongoing rescue operations.
“My thoughts are with the people of Venezuela following this week’s devastating earthquakes. The United Kingdom stands in solidarity with everyone affected, especially those who have lost loved ones, homes, and livelihoods,” outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
“We are making £2 million available in emergency humanitarian funding and working closely with our international partners to ensure life-saving assistance reaches those who need it most as quickly as possible,” he added.
The rescue personnel, members of the Royal Air Force, departed the United Kingdom on Friday carrying drones capable of safely assessing collapsed structures, identifying hazards such as damaged rooftops, and helping coordinate rescue operations.
The aircraft also transported doctors, British humanitarian specialists, firefighters, and emergency responders from 14 different UK fire and rescue services. Many of them previously participated in relief operations following the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Morocco, where they helped rescue survivors trapped beneath the rubble.
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s Caribbean coast on Wednesday, just 39 seconds apart, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, respectively.
With information from EFE.
