Vietnamese contingent races against time to search for earthquake victims in Venezuela

The disaster, the deadliest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, caused the collapse of numerous high-rise buildings built along steep hillsides.

Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Search and Rescue Department under the General Staff and head of the Vietnamese contingent, called on all team members to build on the progress already achieved and remain fully committed to the operations. He stressed that the mission reflects not only Vietnam's international humanitarian responsibility, but also its solidarity with the people of Venezuela, urging personnel to devote their full determination and effort while racing against time to help mitigate the earthquake's aftermath.

Working in extremely challenging conditions, personnel from the Vietnam People's Army and the Ministry of Public Security have maintained close coordination. Equipped with specialized rescue equipment, they have been organized into multiple teams to search for victims still trapped beneath the rubble as quickly and efficiently as possible. Service dogs are deployed first to identify locations where victims may be trapped inside collapsed structures. The engineering team then uses detection devices and through-wall radar systems to pinpoint victims' exact locations before carefully creating access routes to extricate them.

During the operation, rescue teams have continued expanding their search areas after receiving requests for assistance from victims' families. Meanwhile, the medical team has continued providing emergency treatment and medical care for local residents at the field medical station.

Earlier, on June 30 (local time), the Vietnamese contingent located and recovered the bodies of 13 victims from the rubble.

Mission briefing before the search operation

Service dogs are deployed at the disaster site.

Engineering troops find way to approach a victim.

Personnel from the Vietnam People's Army and the Ministry of Public Security coordinate search operations.

Family members provide information about missing victims to the Vietnamese personnel.

Service dogs are deployed at the disaster site.

Family members provide information about missing victims to the Vietnamese personnel.

By Hoang Vu (from La Guaira, Venezuela)

Translated by Tran Hoai