London firefighters join Venezuela rescue effort

Seven firefighters from London Fire Brigade are part of a UK-wide team helping to rescue victims caught up in earthquake-hit Venezuela.

More than 1,700 people are known to have been killed after two powerful earthquakes struck on Wednesday which interim president Delcy Rodríguez described as the "most brutal natural catastrophe" in Venezuela's history.

UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) has sent firefighters from around the UK along with rescue dogs which can detect signs of life beneath the rubble.

LFB station commander and UK-ISAR team coordinator, Ian Simpson, said: "The team are working really hard and doing their very best in difficult circumstances with 100% humidity."

"Added to that, the infrastructure has been decimated so transportation by road is extremely challenging," he said.

"Thankfully, local people are assisting us on the ground and helping us locate those who need rescuing."

Simpson also said the team was being supported by mental health first aiders to help them "decompress" after spending their days searching for signs of life.

"There is a lot of devastation which is quite shocking to see first-hand."

UK-ISAR is the official UK Government response to international disasters, funded and supported by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

Desperate families have been digging through the debris – some by hand – trying to find loved ones.

Some have told the BBC that they can hear people under the rubble, but cannot move the heavy slabs of concrete, and are waiting anxiously for heavy machinery.

The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes on Wednesday struck within 39 seconds and caused almost 800 buildings to collapse, leaving many people trapped inside.

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