The death toll from Venezuelan earthquake rises to 18 Spaniards

Eduardo González At least 18 Spanish citizens have died, 144 are missing, and twelve remain trapped under the rubble as a result of the double earthquake that struck northern Venezuela, according to the latest figures released today by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. All consular emergency lines are open and can be accessed through the social media accounts of the Ministry and the Embassy in Caracas. At least 1,719 people have died and 5,034 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 40-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. “We continue to mobilize emergency aid from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and we have scheduled a plane to take off on Wednesday with the START team and the Emergency Field Hospital, which is desperately needed at this time to care for the numerous injured, whose numbers are steadily increasing in Venezuela,” Albares announced in an audio statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Of course, as long as there is hope of locating a Spaniard or, unfortunately, even just the body of a deceased Spaniard, we will continue these rescue efforts, and in any case, we will support the Venezuelan people for as long as necessary during these dramatic and emergency times. They have our full solidarity, both now and when the time comes for reconstruction,” he added. Last Sunday, the first plane carrying citizens evacuated from Venezuela landed in Torrejón (Madrid). A total of 96 people have been deployed: 76 Spanish nationals and 20 others of various nationalities, including France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Slovakia, Venezuela, and Argentina, as announced by Minister José Manuel Albares in an audio statement. Since last weekend, the first financial package from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) has arrived in Venezuela to address the country's immediate needs. The first Spanish rescue teams have also arrived, including members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME, Ministry of Defense), personnel assessing the most urgent needs from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, and firefighters from the Community of Madrid (Emergency and Immediate Response Team, ERICAM). Additionally, 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, operated by Iberia, departed this Sunday for Madrid with another 29 Spaniards. In addition, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (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 15 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.

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