Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated at a regular press conference today, "Based on the long-standing traditional friendship between the two countries, Vietnam is ready to provide appropriate forms of assistance to Venezuela", when asked about Vietnam's response to the double earthquake in Venezuela on the evening of 24/6.

General Secretary and President To Lam sent a message of condolences to interim President Delcy Rodriguez of Venezuela. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung, who recently visited Venezuela, also conveyed his condolences directly.

Rescue forces search for victims in the rubble in Caracas, Venezuela on 24/6. *Photo: AP*

Vietnamese citizens living, studying, and working in Venezuela are safe. The Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela is coordinating with local authorities to monitor the situation, provide support, and implement protective measures if any Vietnamese citizens are affected by the earthquake.

Citizens requiring urgent assistance are advised to contact the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela's hotline, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' citizen protection switchboard.

A powerful 7,2-magnitude earthquake struck on the evening of 24/6, approximately 160 km west of Venezuela's capital, Caracas. Less than one minute later, a second earthquake, measuring 7,5-magnitude, occurred a few kilometers away. This was the strongest earthquake in Venezuela in over one century.

Venezuelan officials reported on the morning of 25/6 that at least 32 people had died and 700 were injured. The casualty count could rise as figures from the coastal state of La Guaira, the most severely affected area, are still pending.

Earthquake epicenter location in Venezuela on 24/6. *Graphic: Guardian*

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez described the situation in La Guaira as a "true tragedy" and declared it a disaster zone. She stated that dozens of high-rise buildings collapsed, and rescue teams are racing against time to save trapped victims.

Venezuela is located in a seismically active region where the Caribbean and South American plates meet. An earthquake in 1812 killed approximately 30.000 people, causing severe devastation to the cities of Merida and Caracas.

Vietnamese citizens requiring urgent assistance are requested to contact the citizen protection hotline of the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela at +58 4242 674447 or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' 24/7 Citizen Protection Switchboard at (+84) 981.84.84.84 for help.

Ngoc Anh - Nguyen Tien