Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security said its police search and rescue team is currently searching for 15 people believed to be trapped inside a collapsed nine-story apartment building in Catia La Mar District, La Guaira State, Venezuela.

On the morning of July 1, the ministry said that after completing an initial site assessment and establishing its operational base on the first day in Venezuela, the Vietnamese rescue delegation launched search operations early on June 30 (local time).

The team is operating in Playa Grande Ward, Catia La Mar District, La Guaira State, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster.

The Vietnamese rescue team's search area covers a vast zone where multiple high-rise buildings have collapsed. Personnel have been divided into several groups to conduct search operations at different locations.

Among them, the Ministry of Public Security's search and rescue unit has formed multiple teams to search for victims inside a nine-story apartment building that has almost completely collapsed.

According to local residents, around 15 people are still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of the building. Upon arriving at the scene, rescue personnel immediately deployed search dogs to locate and identify possible survivor locations.

The next stages of the operation have also been carefully planned by officers to ensure both safety and operational effectiveness.

However, the collapsed apartment building has an extremely complex structural layout, with a high risk of secondary collapse. As a result, reaching the trapped victims remains highly challenging.

Earlier, on the afternoon of June 28, Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security held a departure ceremony for its search and rescue team before the deployment to Venezuela.

According to the ministry, the earthquake that struck on June 24 caused exceptionally severe devastation across Venezuela. To date, more than 1,400 people have died, over 50,000 remain missing, and tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed.

In response to the tragedy, and following directives from Vietnam's Party, State and Government leadership, the Ministry of Public Security decided to deploy its rescue force to Venezuela to assist in searching for victims, conducting rescue operations, and supporting post-disaster recovery efforts.

Dinh Hieu