The death toll from the Venezuelan earthquake rises to 17 Spaniards, with 150 missing

Eduardo González At least 17 Spanish citizens have died, 150 are missing, and twelve have been located under the rubble as a result of the double earthquake that struck northern Venezuela, according to the latest figures released this Sunday by sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry emphasized that all consular emergency lines are open and can be accessed through the social media accounts of the Ministry and the Embassy in Caracas, and urged Spaniards in Venezuela to use them. At least 1,450 people have died and 3,150 have been injured as a result of the double earthquake, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, which struck northern Venezuela this past Wednesday with a forty-second interval, according to the latest official data. The damage is concentrated mainly in the states of La Guaira, Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón, and Yaracuy, as well as Caracas, where buildings and infrastructure have been affected. Separately, the first plane carrying Venezuelan citizens landed in Torrejón (Madrid) this Sunday. A total of 96 people were on board: 76 Spanish citizens and 20 others of various nationalities from France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Slovakia, as well as Venezuela and Argentina, as announced by Minister José Manuel Albares in an audio statement. Albares specified this Saturday that the first financial package from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) for the initial needs in Venezuela "has already been delivered," and the first Spanish rescuers—from the UME (Military Emergency Unit, of the Ministry of Defense), personnel assessing the most urgent needs from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and firefighters from the Community of Madrid (from the Emergency and Immediate Response Team, ERICAM)—"are already on the ground." Also on Saturday, a new contingent of 63 personnel and nine rescue dogs from six autonomous communities departed for Venezuela to assist in the rescue efforts. The same plane that transported the rescuers, coordinated by civil protection and operated by Iberia, departed on Sunday for Madrid with another 29 Spaniards. The AECID has already mobilized an initial package of one million euros through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to address Venezuela’s most immediate needs. Furthermore, Spain, through AECID, is contributing to the emergency response funds of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations Office for Emergency Management, which have allocated two million Swiss francs and fifteen million dollars, respectively, to the emergency response in Venezuela. “I want to reiterate that all consular emergency phone lines at the central services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and at the Spanish Embassy and Consulate in Caracas are fully operational and available to all Spanish citizens. I urge any Spaniards who are not registered with the Consulate and who are in transit in Venezuela for tourism, work, or other reasons to contact us,” Albares emphasized. The Embassy in Venezuela and the Spanish Consulate in Caracas are available to the Spanish community at the following phone numbers: +34 91 000 1249 and +58 424-2090264. For her part, Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, received "a message from His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, expressing his condolences for the victims of the powerful earthquakes that have struck Venezuela, as well as his solidarity with the affected families and his support for the rescue and recovery efforts." "We appreciate and value these expressions of solidarity conveyed to our people during this time of profound difficulty," the president added on her Telegram account. Field hospital and humanitarian aid According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a team from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) traveled to Venezuela on Friday to conduct an initial on-site assessment and help identify the most urgent needs. Separately, the Agency plans to deploy the START field hospital, following a request for international health support from Venezuelan authorities, and is working with various suppliers to assess the availability of humanitarian aid that, if necessary, could be sent from logistics centers in Panama, Colombia, or Spain. Spain is participating in the response as part of the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which facilitates the coordination of international aid with national authorities and all humanitarian actors present in the country, avoiding duplication and ensuring that assistance reaches those most in need. Through this Mechanism, the deployment of the START field hospital in its EMT-1 format has been offered for next week. Close coordination is also being maintained to facilitate the possible deployment of additional rescue teams. Furthermore, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) is maintaining close coordination with the General Secretariat for Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Ministry of the Interior and with the Ministry of Defense to coordinate the response. Spain is also maintaining constant contact with key humanitarian organizations, such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and specialized non-governmental organizations, to assess the evolving situation and coordinate potential actions. [caption id="attachment_146435" align="alignnone" width="750"] Photo: IFRC[/caption] Furthermore, four NGOs that have emergency agreements with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) (Spanish Red Cross, Action Against Hunger, Save the Children, and Caritas) are considering activating these agreements. In addition to the immediate contribution of one million euros to the IFRC's emergency appeal, Spain's response is complemented by sustained support for major international humanitarian financing mechanisms. This year, Spain has contributed 4.5 million euros to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) (part of a multi-year commitment of nine million euros for the 2026-2027 period), which has already mobilized 15 million dollars in response to this situation. Spain has also contributed €3.5 million to the International Federation of the Red Cross's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), which has already immediately mobilized two million Swiss francs to address this emergency.

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