Français
Español
English
Portuguese
ZAKA said it has not received reports of casualties within Venezuela’s small Jewish community but remains in contact with its leaders.
By Shula Rosen
Israel is preparing to assist Venezuela following two powerful earthquakes that killed dozens of people, injured hundreds more, and left thousands missing, with the Foreign Ministry and emergency response organizations assessing how to support rescue efforts.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it is conducting a situational assessment with relevant authorities and examining possible avenues for assistance as search-and-rescue operations continue in the quake-hit country.
The ZAKA emergency response organization said teams in Israel, the United States, and Mexico are preparing for possible deployment to Venezuela to assist local authorities in searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
ZAKA said it has not received reports of casualties within Venezuela’s small Jewish community but remains in contact with community leaders and other officials to monitor developments.
IsraAid also announced that it is “urgently responding” to the disaster and said additional information would be released as the situation develops.
Israel previously dispatched a joint Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry delegation of experts to Thailand last year to support search-and-rescue operations following a major earthquake.
The disaster in Venezuela has triggered a large-scale emergency response after two major earthquakes struck the country’s northern coast.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said the earthquakes caused widespread destruction and prompted extensive search-and-rescue efforts.
Rodriguez warned that the death toll was expected to rise as emergency personnel continued searching collapsed buildings and damaged neighborhoods.
The seismic event began with a magnitude 7.2 foreshock, followed 40 seconds later by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, which has been described as Venezuela’s most powerful earthquake in more than a century.
The earthquakes caused homes to collapse in Caracas and inflicted extensive damage across the affected region.
Israeli organizations said preparations remain underway as authorities continue evaluating the scale of the disaster and determining what assistance may be required.
The Foreign Ministry said consultations with Israeli authorities are continuing while humanitarian organizations stand ready to deploy teams if requested as rescue operations proceed in Venezuela.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
