The U.S. military is actively “surging forces” to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes hit the South American country on Wednesday.
U.S. Southern Command moved on Thursday to deploy available resources, including transport ships and aircraft, to support the disaster relief efforts led by the State Department.
“These forces will provide specialized mobility services and support to U.S. government personnel, search and rescue teams, and U.S. interagency partners as they assess damage, locate the injured, and deliver critical, life-saving assistance,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement.
Venezuela requested aid from the United States in the immediate aftermath of the 7.2-magnitude and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes.
“SOUTHCOM will continue to work closely with interim Venezuelan authorities to plan, coordinate, and direct the U.S. military’s unparalleled logistical and operational capabilities in support of rapid relief operations across the affected areas,” the command center added.
Earlier Thursday, the State Department announced the United States started mobilizing $150 million in assistance to Venezuela in addition to leading search-and-rescue, airlift, and coordination support. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised to help Venezuela after Acting President Delcy Rodriguez quickly declared a state of emergency.
The number of casualties following the back-to-back earthquakes is high. Venezuelan officials say at least 235 people were killed and at least 4,300 others are trapped as of Thursday night, with hundreds more trapped in rubble or missing. The death toll will likely rise.
An estimate provided earlier by the Venezuelan government showed at least 250 buildings had been damaged. Most of them were located in La Guaira, a city near the capital of Caracas.
TRUMP AND RUBIO OFFER HELP TO VENEZUELA AFTER HUNDREDS OF CASUALTIES FROM MASSIVE EARTHQUAKES
Notably, the U.S. military is assisting the same nation after American soldiers deposed former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in January and let Rodriguez replace him. Since then, the U.S. has been working closely with the interim government.
SOUTHCOM has conducted over 60 airstrikes on alleged drug-carrying vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, killing at least 221 people suspected to be drug traffickers. Venezuela is believed to be a transit hub for many of these vessels.