Working alongside Venezuela's interim authorities, U.S. forces are assisting with search-and-rescue efforts, logistics and humanitarian aid distribution as recovery operations continue.
A nine-month old infant and his mother were rescued from underneath a rubble in Venezuela by a U.S.-led international team.
The latest quake triggered fresh anxiety among residents already coping with widespread destruction, although no immediate reports of additional casualties or major damage were released.
Emergency workers scrambled over the debris of collapsed buildings in Caracas as night fell, while distraught relatives sought help for loved ones feared trapped.
Hardest hit were the coastal city of La Guaira and areas near the epicenter, where emergency crews faced shortages of heavy equipment needed to clear debris.
Early estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey placed potential economic losses between $10 billion and $100 billion.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake struck near the Caribbean coast close to Montalbán at a relatively shallow depth, allowing the tremors to be felt across much of northern Venezuela and neighboring Colombia.
“This is an important trip, I’m glad we’re able to do it,” Rubio chirped after explaining the trio of nations would discuss how to increase Venezuelan oil sales to India.
