1,600 Foreign Rescue Workers Arrive in Venezuela

More than 1,600 members of foreign rescue teams have already arrived in the country, and another 25 planes are expected to arrive within the next 24 hours. The US is mobilizing $150m in aid, easing sanctions and deploying troops and ships to support relief operations.

The situation is worst in the state of La Guaira and in the capital, Caracas. While the government speaks of hundreds of missing or trapped people, an opposition website puts the number in the tens of thousands.

Local residents are criticizing the lack of heavy equipment. Power outages are further complicating the situation in the affected areas. Fortunately, the oil industry and fuel production have not suffered extensive damage.

In an effort to speed up the passage of rescue teams, the government has completely closed the main road between Caracas and La Guaira to civilians without special passes, which has brought traffic on secondary routes to a standstill. Looting has also been reported in the affected areas, where 14,000 soldiers and police officers are on patrol.

(Reuters, Max)