The Daily Journal. — The European Union (EU) announced humanitarian assistance for Venezuela through the European Civil Protection Mechanism following the two earthquakes that struck the South American country on Wednesday. Seven member states will deploy urban search-and-rescue teams after the Venezuelan government formally activates the mechanism.
The latest official figures report at least 164 deaths and 971 injuries. Emergency crews continue their work as authorities record as many as 30 aftershocks across the country.
European commission coordinates the response
European Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib initially announced that Spain, Italy, and the Czech Republic had offered assistance through the EU mechanism. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen later confirmed that four additional countries had joined the relief effort.
“In these difficult hours, we stand with the people of Venezuela. The European Commission is coordinating Europe’s earthquake response through our European Civil Protection Mechanism. Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands will deploy search-and-rescue teams,” the Commission president said.
Von der Leyen added that the European Union stands “ready to do more,” noting that officials are also considering medical assistance to address the emergency.
Satellite monitoring of the disaster zone
Alongside the deployment of rescue personnel, European Union leaders offered their official condolences to the victims of the earthquakes.
Brussels also activated its Copernicus satellite mapping system. Authorities will use the Earth observation program to generate detailed images of the affected areas, assess the extent of the destruction, and identify damage to critical infrastructure.
With information from EFE.
