Death Toll From Devastating Venezuela Twin Earthquakes Surpasses 5,000
The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 5,069 with more than 21,000 displaced residents continuing to shelter in temporary accommodation.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez confirmed the latest government figures, which recorded a 24-hour increase of 139 fatalities. The official bulletin reported 16,740 people injured and 6,462 individuals successfully evacuated from immediate danger zones. The number of rescued individuals remained unchanged from the previous day.
The catastrophe left nearly 18,000 people homeless. Authorities have established 107 temporary camps that currently house 21,235 survivors. Structural damage is widespread across the affected region with 856 buildings damaged and 190 completely destroyed.
A massive recovery operation is underway involving 30,989 state emergency workers, 31,745 local volunteers and 2,278 international specialists.
The disaster struck on June 24 when two massive tremors measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude hit the country just 39 seconds apart. The government immediately declared a state of emergency to facilitate incoming international humanitarian assistance and rescue missions.
