The United States will deploy two warships and transport aircraft and helicopters to provide logistical support for relief operations in Venezuela, which has been hit by two devastating earthquakes, the US military announced, quoted by Agence France-Presse.
"These forces will provide specialized mobility services and support for US government personnel (that is, for diplomatic personnel in Venezuela - ed. note), as well as emergency and rescue teams, as well as US interagency partners in assessing damage, searching for the injured and delivering critical, life-saving assistance", wrote in the Ex US Southern Command.
Meanwhile, the US State Department announced that Washington will allocate financial assistance in the amount of 150 million dollars to deal with the damage from the disaster.
Fifty million will be provided to humanitarian non-governmental organizations, and the remaining 100 million to the UN humanitarian service.
A team of 80 rescuers with sniffer dogs specializing in urban search operations will leave from the state of Virginia, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised from Bahrain that the US government will provide assistance to Venezuela.
The head of American diplomacy confirmed that he spoke by phone with the interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, who welcomed the "solidarity" demonstrated from Washington.
According to the latest data, the number of dead in yesterday's earthquakes in Venezuela is 235, and the injured are nearly 1,520. It is assumed that hundreds of people remain buried under the debris of collapsed buildings.
On Wednesday, shortly after 6:00 p.m. local time, the South American country was shaken by two consecutive earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.