French rescuers help in Venezuela: search for survivors after earthquake continues

Caracas – 30.06.2026: French rescue units remain active in the regions of Venezuela affected by the powerful earthquakes. Teams of the Unité d’instruction et d’intervention de la sécurité civile n°7 (UIISC 7) arrived at Maiquetía airport and have since been working with international search-and-rescue teams to locate people buried under rubble and provide emergency medical aid. Their work is concentrated on particularly hard-hit areas in La Guaira and the northern districts of Caracas.

According to Venezuelan authorities, the death toll has risen to at least 1,719, and around 5,034 people have been injured. Aid organizations and the United Nations estimate that tens of thousands are missing. Experts warn that chances of survival under the rubble decrease with each passing hour. At the same time, the need for emergency shelter, clean water and basic medical care is growing. Temporary collection points for evacuees have been set up in several neighborhoods, while hospitals are operating beyond capacity.

Images from the affected areas show collapsed apartment buildings and damaged infrastructure. In La Guaira, residential blocks and public buildings have suffered extensive damage, and port facilities have also been affected. Authorities are trying to reopen quay facilities step by step for aid deliveries so that drinking water, tents, generators and field kitchens can be distributed more quickly. However, the work of responders is made more difficult by a lack of lifting equipment, blocked access roads and recurring aftershocks.

France’s foreign ministry said it is in close contact with Venezuelan authorities and is ready to coordinate additional support through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. On the ground, French teams are mainly carrying out dog searches, providing emergency medical care, and conducting technical assessments of structures at risk of collapse. The embassy is also assisting French nationals and helping to channel offers of aid.

The UN is preparing further shipments of supplies and, together with non-governmental organizations, is assessing the situation to set priorities for water treatment, hygiene and emergency shelters. Pressure from the population is growing to supply certain neighborhoods more quickly; media report shortages of rescue vehicles and fuel. At the same time, local authorities are checking compliance with building regulations and initiating stabilization measures on damaged buildings to avoid additional risks.

International teams are working around the clock to find any remaining survivors and close gaps in aid provision. How quickly further assistance arrives depends on the stabilization of key transport routes, the capacity of the ports and coordination between national and international actors. An expansion of humanitarian support is expected in the coming days, provided transport routes remain open and aftershocks do not interrupt operations again.