Mexican Red Cross Deploys Specialized Rescue Team to Venezuela After Earthquake

The Mexican Red Cross has deployed a specialized Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team to Venezuela following a devastating double earthquake that struck on June 24, leaving 1,430 dead and 3,238 injured, according to Venezuelan authorities Source: Milenio. The mission aims to assist in locating survivors trapped under collapsed structures in the hardest-hit areas of La Guaira and Caracas Source: Milenio.

The Mission

The USAR team comprises over 15 certified specialists and four canine units with handlers, trained for technical rescue in collapsed structures Source: Excelsior. The deployment involved extensive logistical preparation, including tool inspection and protocol verification to ensure operational self-sufficiency Source: Excelsior. Traveling on the same charter flight, the Brigada de Rescate Internacional Cancún (BRIC) contributed ten rescuers, a dog, and a structural engineer, along with renowned rescuer Jorge Díaz (known as the "Aztec mole"), who will join his group already on the ground Source: Milenio. Once in Venezuela, all Mexican teams will coordinate with local authorities to move directly to affected zones Source: Milenio.

The Situation on the Ground

The double earthquake—magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5—caused widespread destruction, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Venezuelan Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez reported that over 73,000 families have been assisted, with 3,142 families left homeless Source: Milenio. The Mexican Red Cross reaffirmed its commitment to humanitarian principles, emphasizing impartiality and humanity in its international response .