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China has pledged 100 million yuan ($14.7 million) in disaster relief assistance to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes claimed more than 1,450 lives, Beijing’s foreign ministry announced on Monday.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the Chinese government would provide Venezuela with “emergency free relief supplies to support earthquake relief and post-disaster reconstruction”. He added that China would deliver the supplies “as soon as possible” and provide Caracas with satellite images of the affected areas to support rescue operations.
“China stands ready to provide further support for Venezuela as the situation evolves,” Guo said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez on Friday, assuring her that China would support the country’s disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.
Chinese state media reported on Monday that eight Chinese nationals had been confirmed dead following the earthquakes, while one person remains missing.
According to Rodriguez, 24 countries have so far delivered 521 tonnes of relief supplies, deployed 86 canine search units and sent more than 2,700 search-and-rescue personnel to assist recovery efforts.
The US Southern Command said American helicopters had transported emergency aid, while an additional 230 US military personnel were arriving to help expand airport operations and reopen a key seaport to improve relief logistics.
The United States, which captured Venezuela’s former president Nicolas Maduro during a military operation in Caracas in January, had already deployed a 250-member disaster response team.
The United Nations migration agency estimated that up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster and may require shelter, clean water, sanitation, healthcare and other essential humanitarian assistance.
The earthquakes, the deadliest to strike Venezuela in more than a century, have compounded the challenges facing the oil-rich nation after more than a decade of economic decline. The prolonged crisis has severely weakened hospitals and public services, forcing millions of people to leave the country.
The United Nations estimates that the earthquakes caused about $6.7 billion in physical damage, equivalent to approximately six per cent of Venezuela’s gross domestic product.
