Key facts
- Over 4,000 people have died and 16,740 have been injured in Venezuela's twin earthquakes.
- The earthquakes occurred on June 24, flattening districts in the coastal state of La Guaira.
- Thousands of people are still listed as missing.
- The United Nations has appealed for nearly $300 million to assist 1.3 million people affected by the disaster.
- Venezuela's interim president has requested the release of frozen assets abroad for recovery efforts.
The death toll from Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes on June 24 has surpassed 4,000, with over 16,740 people injured and thousands more missing. The back-to-back quakes, including a 7.5-magnitude shock, flattened entire districts in the coastal state of La Guaira. Rescue efforts have largely concluded, but families continue searching for loved ones. A recent 3.0-magnitude aftershock in Caracas caused further panic. The scale of the recovery is immense, compounded by Venezuela's prolonged economic crisis and degraded state services. The United Nations has launched an urgent appeal for nearly $300 million to aid 1.3 million people, estimating direct physical damage at $37 billion. Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has called for the release of frozen assets, including approximately 30 tons of gold held in the UK under sanctions, to fund recovery. She has defended the country's emergency response amidst public anger over perceived inadequacy.