Key facts
- The death toll from two earthquakes in Venezuela on June 24 has reached 4,333.
- 16,740 people have been injured.
- Approximately 17,000 people have been left homeless.
- Housing distribution to affected individuals is scheduled to begin next week.
- The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck within seconds of each other.
- The coastal state of La Guaira was the most severely impacted area.
The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced on Saturday. The official tally of injured remained unchanged at 16,740, while approximately 17,000 people have been left homeless. Rodriguez also stated that the distribution of housing to those affected will begin next week, and that 315 of the deceased have not yet been identified.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck within seconds of each other, with the largest being the biggest in Venezuela in over a century. The hardest-hit area was the coastal state of La Guaira, where entire districts were flattened. Thousands more are listed as missing, and family members continue to search the ruins for loved ones.
The scale of the recovery effort is immense, compounded by Venezuela's ongoing economic crisis. The United Nations has issued an urgent appeal for nearly $300 million in earthquake relief aid to assist 1.3 million people. The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has estimated direct physical damage to housing and infrastructure at around $37 billion. Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has called for the release of frozen assets abroad to aid in the recovery, including requesting the release of Venezuelan gold held in the UK.
Nine Americans are among the confirmed dead, according to the U.S. State Department. U.S. urban search and rescue teams completed their mission, having helped save six lives, while the Department of State Disaster Assistance Response Team remains on the ground providing critical assistance.