Panama sends humanitarian aid, prepares rescue team for Venezuela after earthquakes
Panama City: President Jose Raul Mulino has announced that Panama has completed a first flight carrying 18 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Venezuela, and the country is also preparing to send a specialised search and rescue team after earthquakes struck the South American country.
“Thanks to the Panamanian solidarity, donations are being collected, and a first flight with 18 tonnes of aid has been completed,” Mulino said in a post on X on Friday (local time).
Requested supplies include nonperishable food, bottled water, personal hygiene items, basic medical supplies, flashlights, batteries and other emergency supplies for affected families, reports Xinhua news agency.
In addition, Panama is preparing to deploy a specialised search and rescue team led by the national civil protection system, its director Omar Smith said.
Smith said the team includes about 60 specialised personnel and four trained dogs for search operations. He added that the contingent would have drones and thermal-capable equipment to help locate people, as well as personnel trained to handle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear scenarios.
According to local media, the operation will initially last seven days, though the search period could be extended depending on the situation in Venezuela. If necessary, a second aircraft carrying more rescue personnel will be coordinated.
Meanwhile, technical and humanitarian assistance from more than a dozen countries has begun arriving in Venezuela to help victims and support early recovery efforts after Wednesday’s devastating earthquakes.
Rescue teams and specialised equipment have arrived in Venezuela since Thursday from countries including India, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Qatar, as well as from the UN system.
Wednesday’s earthquakes killed at least 920 people and injured more than 3,360, according to the latest official report, severely damaging infrastructure along the country’s central coast.