Prime Minister Le Minh Hung has called for the building of an elite, professional and rapidly deployable international search and rescue force as Vietnam seeks to strengthen its capacity to respond to global humanitarian emergencies and contribute more actively to international disaster relief efforts.
A special flight carrying Vietnam's military and police search and rescue team home from Venezuela landed safely at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on the evening of July 10 after successfully completing a 10-day earthquake relief mission.
Vietnam's rescue and relief team has been awarded the first-class "Hero of Venezuela" medal, a noble reward from the Venezuelan Government, in recognition of their courageous humanitarian efforts following the devastating earthquakes in the Latin American country.
The aid reflects the traditional friendship and solidarity, as well as the longstanding spirit of mutual support between the Vietnamese and Venezuelan people.
Ty described the twin quakes Venezuela’s deadliest seismic disaster in more than a century, with thousands killed. High temperatures accelerated the decomposition of victims still trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The earthquake may have broken some of the strongest concrete steel, yet it failed to extinguish the kindness or the resilience forged in solidarity. Together, the La Guaira locals are enduring their longest days, held together by hands that refuse to let go.
On July 5 (local time), the Vietnamese earthquake relief delegation visited makeshift tent camps in the Playa Grande area of La Guaira state to distribute essential care packages to local residents affected by the disaster.
While recovering a victim’s body, a member of the Venezuelan rescue team became dizzy after prolonged exposure to toxic decomposition gases.
The latest recovery brings the total number of victims found by the Vietnamese mission to 45 since its deployment to the disaster zone.
On the fourth day of operations in Venezuela, Vietnam's rescue team continued searching for victims despite dangerous conditions and repeated aftershock warnings.
Through Vietnamese Ambassador to Venezuela Vu Trung My, Acting President Delcy Rodriguez sent a letter of gratitude and presented the "Hero of Venezuela" medal to Party General Secretary and State President To Lam.
Without a word of resentment toward fate, the mother dropped to her knees, grasped the bloodied, scarred hands of a Vietnamese military engineer and repeatedly whispered through sobs: "Gracias, Vietnam!... Gracias..." ("Thank you, Vietnam!")
Giang praised officers and professional soldiers deployed to Venezuela in the aftermath of the powerful twin earthquakes that struck the Latin American country on June 24 night, causing heavy casualties and widespread devastation.
Vietnamese rescuers pulled seven more bodies from the rubble after twin earthquakes in Venezuela. They also worked with local authorities to identify and hand over 12 locations where victims are suspected to remain buried. The mission has so far recovered a total of 30 bodies from collapsed structures.
At the field meeting, Ambassador My inquiried about the team’s living and working conditions and commended the sense of responsibility, determination, and resilience demonstrated by officers and soldiers of the contingent. He emphasised that Vietnam’s deployment of search and rescue forces to assist Venezuela in overcoming natural disaster consequences is a noble gesture, reflecting a strong spirit of international solidarity.
Vietnamese military and public security personnel are joining international search and rescue efforts in Venezuela after the devastating earthquake. Alongside relief supplies, the Vietnamese team has helped recover victims, provide emergency medical care and support local communities in the disaster-stricken country.
Despite unstable structures and extremely hazardous conditions, the rescuers expanded their search area, relying on their experience, determination and specialised equipment to carry out the mission safely and effectively.
Vietnam is among 30 countries that have deployed rescue teams to Venezuela. The Vietnamese team's greatest motivation is "a mission from the heart" and a determination to make every possible effort to save lives.
Working under harsh conditions, military and police personnel coordinated closely in multiple search teams, combining their expertise with specialised rescue equipment to locate survivors and victims as quickly and efficiently as possible.
During operations to address the aftermath of the earthquake in Playa Grande, La Guaira State, Venezuela, on June 30 (local time), the Vietnamese rescue mission, after extensive search efforts, recovered 11 bodies from the rubble and handed them over to Venezuelan authorities.
