Guyanese soldiers from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) are being mobilized to potentially travel to Venezuela to assist with recovery efforts following a series of earthquakes that occurred last Wednesday. These earthquakes resulted in the deaths of 1,430 individuals and left approximately 3,200 others injured. The search for over 50,000 missing persons is ongoing.
President Irfaan Ali announced on Saturday that GDF soldiers would be dispatched to Venezuela to aid in the recovery efforts. He stated, “We have offered to have a team from the Guyana Defense Force on the ground to help in the recovery efforts in Venezuela.” However, details regarding Venezuela’s acceptance of this offer and the timeline for the soldiers’ departure have not been disclosed.
In addition to military support, a cargo vessel is scheduled to depart from Guyana next Friday, carrying 8,000 tonnes of food, pharmaceuticals, and other emergency supplies. These supplies are being provided by the local private sector and coordinated by the Civil Defence Commission. Dr. Ali mentioned that St Kitts and Nevis has agreed to contribute two containers of pre-packed food items and one container of pharmaceuticals.
The vessel is expected to leave Guyana on Friday and arrive in Venezuela by the following Tuesday. A representative from the GDF indicated that military personnel and the Civil Defence Commission would manage the collection point for donations. This facility will operate 24 hours a day to facilitate the sorting and packing of donations before they are loaded onto the vessel.
The Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) Ground on Woolford Avenue in Georgetown has been designated as a major collection point for these donations. Brian Tiwarie, Chief Executive Officer of BK Group of Companies, mentioned that another vessel would be on standby in case additional containers are received, allowing for simultaneous shipments.
Last Wednesday’s earthquakes, referred to as a “seismic doublet,” measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, marking the most significant seismic event in the region since 1900. On Saturday, another earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 was detected off the coast of Venezuela.
Source: demerarawaves.com
