Over 3,600 rescue personnel from 27 countries searching for survivors in Venezuela

Following the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that hit northern Venezuela, the international community has launched one of the largest humanitarian aid mobilizations to date. Occurring on June 24, 2026, and causing major damage in the Caracas and La Guaira regions, these tremors have resulted in over 3,600 expert rescuers from 27 different countries conducting urgent operations to locate citizens trapped under rubble. As a result of the work done to date, 6,461 people have been extracted alive from the ruins of collapsed buildings in places like La Guaira and Caracas, and 1,086 tons of humanitarian aid supplies and medical equipment have been delivered to the region. This support from the global community continues to be a vital ray of hope for thousands of people struggling to survive.

One of the most active elements of this international coalition is the Ecuadorian team, consisting of 107 firefighters and four trained search and rescue dogs from the cities of Quito and Guayaquil. With the capacity to operate independently for seven days thanks to its trained personnel and specialized equipment, this team is continuing intensive search and sweep activities in critical areas such as La Guzmanía and Caraballeda, where the damage was felt most severely. The efforts of the Ecuadorian team, which forms a large part of the international forces entering the region with a total of 118 search dogs and 1,086 tons of aid, play a strategic role in increasing the success of rescue operations.

The role played by the Mexico and Spain teams in the success of the rescue operations is quite striking; Mexico has led the operations by sending the largest delegation with 473 personnel, while Spain has assumed important duties in technical operations on the field with the Spanish Military Emergency Unit (UME), consisting of 137 personnel and 19 dogs. In particular, the Spanish UME team provided one of the most concrete examples of disaster management and superhuman efforts by rescuing a person alive who had been trapped under the rubble for 72 hours in the Rita building in the La Guaira region. Such successful rescues prove once again how critical the struggle in times of disaster is for human life and the professionalism of international teams.

Individual success stories and the use of technological capabilities reveal the human aspect and technological depth of rescue work. The Colombia USAR COL-1 team rescued an 11-year-old child named Moisés alive after six hours of intense work, reuniting him with his family. Similarly, Jordan teams rescued a three-year-old child alive, while teams from Qatar effectively used advanced heat sensor technologies to detect survivors trapped under tons of debris in the San Bernardino region.

On the other hand, the United States has provided support by mobilizing its military and technological capacity in addition to humanitarian aid activities; the U.S. Southern Command not only provided surgical and medical support to the region but also mobilized satellite mapping technologies to determine damage locations and the locations of those trapped under rubble. Official figures and coordination with international organizations like the United Nations show that this massive operation has been successful in saving the lives of thousands of citizens. As the situation in Caracas remains critical, the work of international teams and these humanitarian aid operations racing against time continue with determination to locate survivors and contribute to the region's recovery.