Two thousand US troops are in Venezuela to respond to earthquakes

The head of SOUTHCOM (US Southern Command), General Francis L. Donovan, stated this Wednesday (1st) that around 2,000 American military personnel remain in Venezuela supporting search and rescue efforts and the delivery of aid by land, air and sea.

He also stated that they will remain in the country "until the work is completed. And when we are done, we will leave Venezuela."

Donovan added that joint work between the Department of State and the Department of Defense will continue as long as necessary.

"There are more lives we can save. And there are more relief supplies we can distribute," he said.

Death toll exceeds 2,000
The two earthquakes that hit Venezuela last week left 2,295 people dead, the president of the country's National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, said this Wednesday.

In addition, 11,267 people were injured and left homeless as a result of the earthquakes, Rodríguez said in a statement on state television.

Rodríguez also reported that more than 4,000 international rescuers and 26,000 Venezuelan personnel are continuing search efforts.

There have been 782 aftershocks since June 24, the day the two earthquakes hit Venezuela.

UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency), which coordinates the protection and shelter response, warned on Tuesday (30) that the humanitarian situation in the affected areas "has deteriorated rapidly".

The agency said there are "serious food shortages, the collapse of basic services and an increase in protection risks for the displaced population."

Earthquakes: understand how rescue teams work

Source: CNN