Aid flows to Venezuela as earthquake death toll nears 1,500

U.S. troops rushed to Venezuela for an aid mission a day after two deadly earthquakes struck the country, killing at nearly 1,500 people and injuring thousands Wednesday night. The deployment was requested by the Venezuelan government, the U.S. Southern Command said Thursday night. The Defense Department sent a rotary-wing aircraft, several large transport aircraft, and two warships, along with rescue teams. Mexico, El Salvador, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic also sent disaster response teams to Venezuela, while dozens of other countries also offered to help if needed.

The U.S. State Department said that in addition to sending troops, it was contributing financially with $50 million to partners on the ground. Those partner organizations included World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, International Medical Corps, and the World Food Programme. The U.S. government also contributed $100 million to a pooled relief fund for Venezuela managed by the UN’s humanitarian office.

Samaritan’s Purse was working to airlift all supplies needed for an emergency field hospital to the hard-hit areas of Caracas and La Guaira, the Christian organization told WORLD Thursday. Staff from the United States and Colombia were also heading to Venezuela to assist in the disaster response, the organization said.

Dig deeper: Read Liz Lykins’ prior report on the earthquakes.