FCDO Minister (): I am writing to update the
House on the impacts of the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela
and the action the Government is taking in response.
On 24 June, two major earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in
magnitude, caused widespread destruction across several states,
including the capital, Caracas, and the port town of La Guaira.
Millions of Venezuelans have been affected, with current
estimates indicating thousands of fatalities and over 16,000
people injured, with these figures likely to continue to rise.
The humanitarian situation in Venezuela is complex, with damage
to infrastructure, disruption to health services and constrained
humanitarian access compounding the challenges already faced by
those affected.
The United Kingdom has responded rapidly to this crisis, working
closely with international partners and the Venezuelan
authorities to deliver life-saving assistance and support to
those affected. We have mobilised a £5.8 million humanitarian
response package, working in coordination with partners on the
ground to support ongoing humanitarian efforts.
Supported by the Royal Air Force, the FCDO deployed a 68person UK
International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) team with six
specialist search dogs. This highly trained team operated
alongside international partners in the most affected areas,
contributing to search and rescue efforts and helping to locate
and assist survivors in extremely challenging conditions. Their
work has formed a critical part of the immediate, lifesaving
phase of the response.
A UK humanitarian field team is also currently deployed to
support the response on the ground, and the UK's Emergency
Medical team is now deploying with fully equipped field hospital
after being formally invited by the Venezuelan Ministry of Health
to help those communities devastated by the two powerful
earthquakes. The field hospital will deliver lifesaving primary
healthcare, including maternal and paediatric services, with
capacity to treat 100 outpatients a day. The deployment follows a
rapid assessment by a three-person UK EMT advance team, which
concluded that additional international medical support was
urgently needed as hospitals struggled to cope with the scale of
the disaster.
The UK is also supporting the broader humanitarian system to
scale up its response and we stand ready to support the
deployment of humanitarian experts into UN agencies to bolster
capacity, coordination, and delivery of assistance. Through
UKsupported funds, rapid financing has already been made
available. This includes support channelled through the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, enabling
trusted partners to deliver food assistance, healthcare, shelter
and protection services. These mechanisms allow assistance to
reach affected communities quickly and at scale, particularly in
areas where access and logistics remain challenging.
As part of the package of humanitarian support, the UK has also
supported the generosity of the British public. On 1 July, the
Disasters Emergency Committee launched an appeal, and the
Government has Aid Matched £2 million of public donations pound
for pound. The UK Aid Match has now been reached, with the appeal
raising over £7 million to date. This will help to maximise the
impact of public contributions and ensure that additional funding
reaches frontline organisations delivering assistance. Should any
Members' constituents wish to assist, the most effective way to
help is by donating cash through trusted organisations. There are
several trusted charities and organisations providing
humanitarian relief on the ground in Venezuela and more
information can be found on Gov.UK.
Alongside our humanitarian response, our consular teams are
working hard to support British nationals affected. Travel Advice
for British nationals is updated regularly to reflect the
evolving situation. All staff and dependents in Venezuela also
remain safe and accounted for and I would like to thank them for
their tireless efforts and dedication over the past week.
The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting the people of
Venezuela at this difficult time. We will continue working with
our international partners, as well as the Venezuelan
authorities, to ensure critical humanitarian assistance supports
those most in need.
