Venezuela Earthquakes: UK Response

I am writing to update the House on the impact of the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, and on the action that the Government are taking in response.

On 24 June, two major earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused widespread destruction across several states, including the capital, Caracas, and the port town of La Guaira. Millions of Venezuelans have been affected, with current estimates indicating thousands of fatalities and over 16,000 people injured, with these figures likely to continue to rise.

The humanitarian situation in Venezuela is complex, with damage to infrastructure, disruption to health services and constrained humanitarian access compounding the challenges already faced by those affected.

The United Kingdom has responded rapidly to this crisis, working closely with international partners and the Venezuelan authorities to deliver lifesaving assistance and support to those affected. We have mobilised a £5.8 million humanitarian response package, working in co-ordination with partners on the ground to support ongoing humanitarian efforts.

Supported by the Royal Air Force, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office deployed a 68-person UK international search and rescue team with six specialist search dogs. This highly trained team operated alongside international partners in the most affected areas, contributing to search and rescue efforts and helping to locate and assist survivors in extremely challenging conditions. Their work has formed a critical part of the immediate, lifesaving phase of the response.

A UK humanitarian field team is also currently deployed to support the response on the ground, and the UK’s emergency medical team is now deploying with a fully equipped field hospital after being formally invited by the Venezuelan Ministry of Health to help those communities devastated by the two powerful earthquakes. The field hospital will deliver lifesaving primary healthcare, including maternal and paediatric services, with capacity to treat 100 out-patients a day. The deployment follows a rapid assessment by a three-person UK EMT advance team, which concluded that additional international medical support was urgently needed as hospitals struggled to cope with the scale of the disaster.

The UK is also supporting the broader humanitarian system to scale up its response, and we stand ready to support the deployment of humanitarian experts into UN agencies to bolster capacity, co-ordination and delivery of assistance. Through UK-supported funds, rapid financing has already been made available. This includes support channelled through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, enabling trusted partners to deliver food assistance, healthcare, shelter and protection services. These mechanisms allow assistance to reach affected communities quickly and at scale, particularly in areas where access and logistics remain challenging.

As part of the package of humanitarian support, the UK has also supported the generosity of the British public. On 1 July, the Disasters Emergency Committee launched an appeal, and the Government have aid-matched £2 million of public donations pound for pound. The UK aid-match has now been reached, with the appeal raising over £7 million to date. This will help to maximise the impact of public contributions and ensure that additional funding reaches frontline organisations delivering assistance. Should any Members’ constituents wish to assist, the most effective way to help is by donating cash through trusted organisations. There are several trusted charities and organisations providing humanitarian relief on the ground in Venezuela and more information can be found at www.gov.uk .

Alongside our humanitarian response, our consular teams are working hard to support British nationals affected. Travel advice for British nationals is updated regularly to reflect the evolving situation. All staff and dependants in Venezuela also remain safe and accounted for and I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts and dedication over the past week.

The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting the people of Venezuela at this difficult time. We will continue working with our international partners, as well as the Venezuelan authorities, to ensure that critical humanitarian assistance supports those most in need.

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