Venezuela's acting president thanks Vietnam for sending earthquake rescue team

"We thank the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for its solidarity and support during this difficult time... The dedication and commitment of the Vietnamese team have significantly strengthened search-and-rescue operations and assistance for affected people," Rodriguez wrote on her Facebook page.

Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Yvan Gil Pinto also conveyed his appreciation for Vietnam's valuable support in sending a fully equipped mission to assist with search-and-rescue efforts.

He said the solidarity and assistance Venezuela had received had brought hope during this challenging period and reflected the enduring friendship of the Vietnamese people toward Venezuela.

The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck Venezuela on June 24.

The death toll from the quakes has reached 2,295, according to Venezuelan government figures published on Wednesday.

An unofficial but widely used list of the missing stands at 40,567. A United Nations envoy this week said it was procuring 10,000 body bags for Venezuela and the U.S. Geological Survey has estimated more than 10,000 deaths were possible due to the quakes, Reuters reported.

Vietnam deployed a 124-member rescue contingent from the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security, along with 10 search dogs and dozens of tonnes of relief supplies, to assist Venezuela’s earthquake response.

At noon on June 29 (local time), the aircraft carrying the delegation landed at Maiquetia International Airport in La Guaira State, Venezuela.

The team promptly deployed personnel and equipment to carry out search-and-rescue operations.

During its mission in Venezuela, the Vietnamese delegation would coordinate with Venezuelan rescue forces and international teams to search for missing people, provide medical examinations and treatment, support post-earthquake recovery efforts, and perform other tasks requested by the Venezuelan authorities in line with the team's expertise and capabilities.

Vietnam’s rescue team has recovered the bodies of 11 earthquake victims from collapsed buildings in Venezuela’s La Guaira State after one day of search operations, according to a report released by Border Guard Intermediate School No. 24 on Wednesday.