Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 4,490 as relief efforts continue
Caracas, July 12 (SANA)The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struckVenezuelaon June 24 has risen to 4,490, according to updated figures released Sunday by the Venezuelan government, as cited by Reuters and multiple international news agencies.
The government reported that 16,740 people were injured in the disaster, with more than 19,500 displaced people currently living in temporary camps. Authorities have assisted 120,794 families, and 6,462 people have been rescued from the rubble.
Theearthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck just 39 seconds apart, causing widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira and the capital Caracas. The second quake was the most powerful to hit the country in over a century.
The government’s response involves 31,837 deployed personnel, 30,535 volunteers, and 2,422 international rescuers. Relief teams have distributed 9,995 metric tons of food and more than 18.5 million liters of water, while 32,401 patients have received medical care.
According to the government update, 856 buildings were damaged, including 190 that collapsed entirely. At least 1,222 aftershocks have been recorded since the main quakes.
The UN estimates the damage at approximately $6.7 billion. The International Organization for Migration warned that up to 6.76 million people could be affected.
On June 24, the first earthquake struck at 6:04 p.m. local time with a magnitude of 7.2, followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenters were near Montalbán, north of Caracas. The quakes devastated entire neighborhoods in La Guaira state, flattening apartment blocks and public buildings.
International rescue teams from Mexico, Spain, the US, the UK, Vietnam and other countries arrived in Venezuela to join the emergency response. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez thanked foreign governments for their assistance, including US President Donald Trump, whom she said had been “in constant contact” offering support.