International search and rescue teams from at least 17 countries are being deployed to Venezuela to help search for survivors of the devastating twin earthquakes, the United Nations said. Getting these teams to the scene is the 'top priority', according to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA. A total of 25 teams, comprising 17 national urban search and rescue teams and emergency medical response teams, are being mobilized, with a total of 1,000 rescue personnel. Teams from Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Italy, Mexico, Switzerland, and the United States are already in Venezuela, while teams from Britain, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Jordan, the Netherlands, Qatar, and Spain, among others, are being mobilized.
Immediate Needs and Response Efforts
The 7.5- and 7.2-magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday are known to have killed at least 235 people. The World Health Organization said the immediate needs included mass casualty management and trauma care, particularly in areas with collapsed buildings. The first 72 hours are critical to saving lives, and efforts are heavily focused on ensuring timely medical attention for those affected.
Ciro Ugarte, emergencies director for PAHO, the UN health agency's Americas regional branch, said, 'The overriding priority is to rescue as many people as possible while urgently providing life-saving health care to the injured.' He noted that the earthquakes had hit a health system that was already fragile, but more than 15 health ministries in the region had pledged support and were ready to deploy teams.
Health Facility Assessments and Support
PAHO experts are working on mapping the affected health facilities. They have identified more than 90 hospitals exposed to shaking intensities beyond six and seven on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. These facilities are being prioritized, including assessments of structural safety, emergency department capacities, operating theatres, inpatient beds, blood supply, and oxygen. Hospitals are managing injuries such as broken bones and head injuries, but also seeing burns and other injuries resulting from building collapse.
International Mobilization and Support
Jens Laerke, a spokesman for OCHA, described the current international mobilization as 'the very best'. He emphasized that the entire humanitarian system is moving very fast and at scale. 'Earthquakes are one of the most devastating things that can happen to any country,' Laerke said. 'But what we are seeing right now is also an international mobilisation at its very best.'
