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    The Trump administration said on Thursday, June 25, that it was mobilizing “immediate, life-saving” resources as part of a rapid, government-wide response to the devastating June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela. In the hours after the earthquakes, the State Department said President Donald J. Trump “immediately authorized the US government to commit significant financial assistance, deploy search and rescue efforts, and collaborate with the interim Venezuelan authorities to address the acute needs of the Venezuelan people.”  The Department of State said its rapid response emphasizes the “critical nature of immediate life-saving interventions in the first hours following natural disasters in our hemisphere.” It said it was deploying a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which includes two specialized urban search and rescue teams focused on locating and reaching survivors.   The department said it has “stood up” a specialized Task Force to coordinate assistance with public and private sector partners, assess needs on the ground, and provide assistance to Americans who may be affected.  In addition to immediate search and rescue, airlift, and coordination support, the State Department said the US is mobilizing US$150 million in assistance to Venezuela through assistance partners, drawing on US$50 million in new bilateral awards to partners on the ground in Venezuela, including World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, International Medical Corps, the International Organization for Migration, and the World Food Program, plus a US$100 million contribution to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Venezuela pooled fund.   In addition to providing financial support, the department said it was helping organizations to “logistically coordinate and liaise” with the interim authorities. The department said it was also working in close coordination with the Department of Defense's "logistical and operational capabilities to support the rapid movement of response personnel, equipment, and humanitarian assistance into affected areas." “With a large natural disaster like this, the first priority is securing logistics to facilitate the broader movement of relief goods and personnel into affected zones,” noted the State Department, stating that the Department of Defense will leverage its fixed and rotor wing aircraft to provide specialized mobility services and to assist US Government personnel, search and rescue team, and partners to assess damage, find the injured, and deliver “critical life-saving assistance.”   Stating that it is the lead agency for the US government response, the State Department said it has activated an interagency coordination cell, supported by “robust engagement and coordination” with the Department of Defense in securing logistics, leveraging military assets already positioned in the region, and deploying forward personnel to maximize response speed and effectiveness.   The State Department said it was deploying a regional DART to provide “world-class” disaster response expertise, technical and programmatic support, operational leadership, and “real-time on-the-ground coordination.” It said the DART consists of disaster experts from across the department and is responsible for assessing conditions on the ground, identifying priority humanitarian needs, and leading the US Government’s response to the disaster.   The department said DART is working closely with existing assistance personnel, as well as diplomats in the embassy in Caracas, to coordinate with local authorities and partner organizations. “The United States remains steadfast in its commitment to helping Venezuela recover from this devastating disaster and will continue to explore additional ways to provide meaningful assistance during this critical time,” the State Department said. 
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