The United States is providing desperately needed resources to Venezuela following a set of earthquakes that registered at 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude and caused widespread devastation throughout the country.
On June 24, the two massive earthquakes struck, leveling buildings and leaving many dead and thousands more injured or missing. According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, the Trump administration is doing what it can to provide relief through humanitarian aid and military assistance.
In an interview with Newsmax, Pigott described the tragic effects of the quakes and outlined the State Department’s efforts to respond quickly and effectively. “We saw the immediate deployment of urban search-and-rescue teams, Pigott said.
More than 3,500 people have died as a result of the earthquakes, and thousands more are reportedly missing. Pigott added that, despite widespread devastation, the teams deployed by the U.S. have had some success recovering people from the affected areas. “Every life saved is a victory,” Pigott said. “We saw so many videos coming out of Venezuela, of American urban search-and-rescue teams saving lives.”
Cooperation between various international teams has led to some miraculous recoveries, including the rescue of security guard Gil Flores, who was successfully located after eight days beneath the rubble of a collapsed building. Flores was evacuated after a coordinated effort between search-and-rescue teams from Chile, Costa Rica, the U.S., Portugal and Mexico.
Pigott also described the ongoing efforts to assist Venezuelans who lost their homes. The earthquakes wiped out tens of thousands of buildings, leaving many people displaced. Pigott stated that the State Department efforts to provide humanitarian assistance would be ongoing, with the goal of providing emergency supplies and medical care.
“We set up an air bridge to allow for the continuous delivery of humanitarian and medical supplies, reaching tens of thousands of Venezuelans,” Pigott said. “We are making sure that we work with American industry, leveraging the might of American industry, using our diplomatic efforts to make sure we reach people, and also working with our colleagues at the Department of War, who have unmatched logistical capabilities to reach people that need it.”