WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department said on Monday it was expanding its humanitarian response to the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, as American personnel and military support continued to arrive in the country to assist search-and-rescue operations, restore transportation infrastructure and deliver emergency relief.
The department said the U.S.-led response, undertaken at the request of the Venezuelan government, remained focused on life-saving operations in coordination with Venezuelan authorities and international partners. Officials said Disaster Assistance Response Team personnel, urban search-and-rescue units and humanitarian specialists were working alongside local emergency responders to assess needs and support recovery efforts.
The State Department's effort has been supported by U.S. Southern Command, which said approximately 100 Air Force personnel assigned to a Contingency Response Element had arrived to help expand airfield operations at Simón Bolívar International Airport after an earlier assessment team completed repairs needed to restore the facility's operational status. The command said the deployment would improve the flow of humanitarian flights carrying rescue teams, medical supplies and other emergency assistance into affected areas.
According to U.S. officials, the broader American response includes more than 250 personnel in the Disaster Assistance Response Team and three specialized urban search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, Los Angeles County, California, and Miami-Dade County, Florida. Officials said the teams were equipped with rescue dogs, engineering capabilities and emergency medical resources to assist victims trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The update came as rescue operations entered a critical phase following the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. Venezuelan authorities, supported by international rescue teams from dozens of countries, continued searching for survivors despite recurring aftershocks. Rescue workers on Monday pulled additional survivors from collapsed structures, underscoring hopes that more people could still be found alive.
Authorities have reported that the earthquakes killed more than 1,400 people, injured thousands and displaced large numbers of residents, although casualty figures remain subject to revision as search efforts continue. International assistance has expanded rapidly, with governments and humanitarian organizations providing personnel, equipment and relief supplies.
The State Department said it would continue coordinating the U.S. response with Venezuelan authorities and international partners while monitoring humanitarian needs as rescue operations transition toward longer-term recovery efforts.
