King Charles and Queen Camilla have been 'deeply saddened' by the devastation and loss of life caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela earlier this week. Buckingham Palace released a statement on Saturday night penned by the monarch, in which he expressed his and his wife's 'profound sympathy' and 'special thoughts' for people affected by the horrendous tragedy.
Royal message of condolence
Addressing the 'people of Venezuela', His Majesty's message read: 'My wife and I were deeply saddened to learn of the devastating earthquakes that have struck your country, and of the tragic loss of life and suffering they have caused. At this most difficult of times, we send our profound sympathy to all those who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods.'
'Our special thoughts are with the injured, those awaiting news of family and friends, and the emergency responders working tirelessly to support those in desperate need. We greatly admire the resilience and strength of the Venezuelan people and send our most heartfelt condolences to all those affected by this terrible tragedy.'
Earthquake details and casualties
Two powerful tremors struck Venezuela on Wednesday, among the strongest to hit the Latin American country in more than a century. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes were felt throughout the region and have destroyed entire areas of cities including Caracas, the country's capital, tearing down entire buildings. Local authorities have reported 920 people died and 3,360 were injured in the earthquakes, with the toll expected to continue rising.
UK aid and rescue efforts
A British search and rescue team provided by UK International Search and Rescue (UKISAR) – which responds to disasters on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – has been among the international teams deployed to the South American country in a bid to help the desperate search and rescue efforts. The 68-strong team, made up of personnel from fire brigades across the country, left RAF Brize Norton along with six specialist search dogs and humanitarian staff.
As well as the UKISAR team, Britain has dispatched members of the UK Emergency Medical Team to prepare for a further medical deployment. The Government has also made £2million of humanitarian funding available to help respond to the disaster. Meanwhile, the Foreign Office confirmed that UK staff were all safe and accounted for after the British embassy in Caracas was damaged in the earthquakes. The embassy – which is on the 11th floor of an office tower in the north east of the city – has been closed, but alternative arrangements have been put in place to assist British nationals in the country.
