Burnaby, B.C., search and rescue team on way to Venezuela after deadly earthquakes

Seven search and rescue volunteers from Burnaby, B.C., are on their way to Venezuela Saturday to help out with rescue efforts following two devastating earthquakes.

“There’s a lot of suffering going on right now in the community in Venezuela,” said Ryan Berry, President of Burnaby Urban Search and Rescue (USAR).

“We want to contribute, do whatever we can.”

Two successive earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 hit the northern part of the country on Wednesday afternoon, causing buildings to collapse in the capital, Caracas. 

Venezuelan authorities said Saturday that 1,430 people have been confirmed dead, with thousands more injured. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that the death toll could range from 10,000 to 100,000. 

The team from Burnaby includes four firefighters, two police officers and one paramedic, along with two search dogs, Pele and Reuben. 

Berry says four of them, including himself, helped in the rescue efforts after the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February 2023. 

“I think we’re all anticipating a fairly difficult situation on the ground, but we’ve been in this position a few times before as a team,” he said. 

Berry says they will check in with local authorities once they arrive to find out what is needed.

The team will likely help with search and rescue efforts and providing medical aid, and are ready to jump on whatever is tasked of them,” he said.

“We feel like we’re very lucky to live where we do, so we feel that we’re lucky to be able to contribute and help out the people down here.” 

In B.C., members of the Venezuelan diaspora are raising money to support emergency relief efforts. 

“The community here is really eager to help as quickly as possible,” said Mariely Arias, president of the Venezuela-Canadian Society of B.C. 

The organization is currently accepting donations, and is working to find established organizations to ensure the money gets to the right people. 

“It is very nerve-wracking to imagine the survivors and the people that are trapped and the time they have to wait until the rescue, the help arrives,” she said. 

‘You’re almost falling to your knees’

Giancarlo Bravo was on the second floor of his 10-storey building in Caracas at the time of the quake. 

He described the earthquake as “really scary,” speaking to CBC News from San Antonio de Los Altos, a town about 20 kilometres away from Caracas, on Thursday. 

He and his girlfriend ran out to the street, where he says hundreds of people were gathered. 

“There’s so much shaking, it’s hard to describe. So much instability. You’re almost falling to your knees,” he said. 

“In the moment I just knew that we needed to run.” 

Canada’s foreign affairs minister has pledged an initial $5 million in humanitarian aid to support relief efforts, including emergency food, water, and health care.