An American rescue team pulled a 9-month-old girl and her mother alive from collapsed structures in Catia La Mar on Saturday, three days after devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela's northern coast.
The Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue team extracted both the infant and her mother, who sustained minor injuries, according to State Department statements. The rescue has become the centerpiece of the American response to what officials describe as a humanitarian catastrophe.
On Wednesday, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes devastated the region. The State Department deployed three Urban Search and Rescue teams to Venezuela beginning Friday, comprising 312 personnel, 18 canine units and more than 200,000 pounds of specialized equipment.
Teams from Virginia, California and Florida deployed across La Guaira and Caracas. The Los Angeles County contingent brought 73 members equipped with concrete-cutting apparatus and acoustic detection devices designed to locate survivors beneath debris.
Venezuelan officials reported that 243 people had been rescued as of Saturday evening. More than 68,000 people remain missing across the country, and the death toll had reached 1,430.
The critical window for survivor extraction typically closes within 48 to 72 hours after a major earthquake, according to humanitarian organizations. The State Department's activation of rescue teams came more than 48 hours after the initial earthquake struck.
Venezuelan officials stated that 17 international flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue personnel arrived Saturday, suggesting a broader international response. The State Department said the scope of coordination between Venezuelan authorities and American rescue teams remained unclear from public records.
The United States has pledged $150 million in emergency assistance, with the State Department coordinating support through international relief organizations.
