International Aid Mobilized for Venezuela After Devastating Earthquakes

Countries around the world are preparing to support Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes rocked the nation.

Back-to-back tremors measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 hit the country at around 6 pm local time on Wednesday evening, causing widespread destruction and killing at least 164 people and injuring 971. The United States Geological Survey has estimated that the final death toll could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people.

France is set to send 85 search and rescue specialists to Venezuela following Wednesday's devastating earthquakes, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

"France stands ready, alongside its European partners, to provide assistance to the affected populations in response to the needs expressed by the Venezuelan authorities," he wrote in a post on social media.

The Spanish Ministry of Defence said 54 military personnel from Spain's Military Emergency Unit were ready to assist with rescue operations. The team, part of the 2nd Emergency Intervention Battalion, uses specially trained search dogs, cameras and geophones in its operations.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, said Madrid's Emergency and Rapid Response team would also be made available to help and locate victims.

"All my support, and that of Spain, to the Venezuelan people following the devastating earthquakes of this evening," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez added in a post on X.

Italy is ready to deploy its air force as well as personnel from the Crisis Unit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Fire Brigade, and the Civil Protection Department, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

"The Government will do everything possible to help the Venezuelan people and stand by the large Italian community living there," the ministry said in a statement.

Berlin is prepping to deploy up to six transport aircraft to help with aid efforts, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in a statement, per AFP.

"The German armed forces stands ready and can make up to six A400M transport aircraft available at short notice as soon as support is requested from us," Pistorius said, adding that they could be used to transport rescue workers and equipment to Venezuela, as well as for internal flights in the country.

Writing on his Truth Social account, US President Donald Trump said the US was "ready, willing, and able to help" Venezuela and that he had instructed all government agencies "to get ready to move quickly".

"The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths," he added.

Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, has announced that the US was "immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance" to the country.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele announced that 300 rescuers and paramedics, as well as 50 tons of equipment, medicines, and "essential supplies," were ready to be sent to Caracas.