Following the severe double earthquake that struck Venezuela, Germany is escalating its humanitarian response efforts. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office stated on Monday that the German Air Force will soon transport a medical emergency team from the Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe. This team is slated to provide essential medical care in the regions hardest hit by the disaster, as local health infrastructure has become overwhelmed. The funding for this international disaster relief operation will be provided by the Foreign Office.
German aid began arriving in Venezuela on Thursday evening. Currently, two search and rescue teams-one from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) and another from the organization “At Fire”-are working in affected areas. These teams are supported by specialized search dogs, as well as advanced technical equipment such as acoustic microphones, cameras, and searchcams, to locate survivors trapped under rubble.
The defense ministry reported that the Luftwaffe has carried out five supply flights since Friday. These flights have delivered Czech rescue personnel and essential aid supplies, initially landing in Curaçao before proceeding to Caracas. Furthermore, a temporary air force base was established on Aruba, and additional supply missions are planned for the coming days.
Regarding potential challenges to the relief efforts, the German government maintained a measured stance, acknowledging that “hindrances” are present but views them as expected given the massive scale of the natural catastrophe. Venezuela was hit by two earthquakes, both exceeding a magnitude of 7. Alongside various international partners, efforts are underway to rapidly overcome these logistical issues.
It was noted that Venezuela has activated the EU civil protection mechanism and is accepting international assistance, which is generally delivered outside of state frameworks.
While the Foreign Office has not received specific information on any German casualties, a low three-digit number of German nationals is currently registered in the ministry’s “Elefant” crisis preparedness list. The government has reiterated a call for German citizens in the country to register their details to ensure they can be swiftly contacted in an emergency.
Official figures from Venezuela confirm 1,450 deaths and 3,150 injuries. However, approximately 50,000 people remain missing.
