Three days after the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, the death toll has climbed to at least 920, with more than 3,300 injured and tens of thousands still missing. Rescue operations have continued since the 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck the northern shore of the country on Wednesday, with authorities saying 243 people have been saved so far.
US Rescue Efforts
American search and rescue teams from Virginia, California, and Florida were dispatched to Venezuela on Friday, joining the effort to pull people out of collapsed buildings. The Los Angeles County team is 73-strong and brought with them concrete-busting machines, listening devices to hear people trapped under rubble, and a myriad of other equipment to aid in the ongoing humanitarian effort.
The State Department is leading the federal response to the earthquakes, according to U.S. Southern Command. The Trump administration has pledged $150 million to emergency aid and deployed Navy warships to assist in the relief efforts.
Despite the assistance coming from the United States and international organizations, Venezuelans have reported that their government has not had a robust response to the earthquakes. Locals told The Associated Press that they’ve seen few state rescue teams in the hardest-hit areas.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
