Israel preparing to potentially send aid team to quake-stricken Venezuela; no Israelis known to be harmed

Israel is making “immediate preparations” for the possible deployment of an aid delegation to Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry says in a statement, as thousands of people are potentially missing following powerful earthquakes in the South American country.

The ministry is “conducting a situational assessment with the relevant authorities in Israel and is examining possible avenues for assistance,” the statement adds.

There is currently no knowledge of any hurt or missing Israelis in the country amid the natural disaster, The Times of Israel understands.

Israel’s ZAKA emergency response organization said earlier that it is preparing teams to possibly be sent to help local authorities rescue people from the rubble, adding that it hasn’t received information of casualties among the country’s small Jewish community. Fellow rescue organization IsraAid also said it was “urgently responding” to the unfolding disaster.

The Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry sent a delegation of experts to Thailand last year to assist in search and rescue efforts following a major earthquake in the region.