South America

Venezuela raises death toll from June's double earthquake above 5,000

The official death toll from the double earthquake that struck northern Venezuela on June 24 rose to 5,069 on Friday. The updated figures, announced by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, added 139 more confirmed deaths.

Aerial view of earthquake rubble under a grey, overcast sky
Aerial view of earthquake rubble under a grey, overcast skyPhoto: Ahmed akacha / Pexels
MercoPress9 h ago

The official death toll from two major earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela in quick succession on June 24 has risen to 5,069, according to the latest figures. National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced via Telegram that 139 new fatalities had been added to the tally.

The update also puts the number of injured at 16,740 and those left homeless at 17,907. Officials stress that the figures remain provisional more than three weeks after the disaster, noting the count could still shift as debris-clearing operations continue.

The International Monetary Fund has agreed to release recovery funds to the country. Venezuela's government continues to seek additional foreign assistance for housing and infrastructure repairs, and the shelter crisis in the quake zone is expected to remain a top priority in the coming months.

GeopoliticsSouth AmericaMercoPress
This article is an AI-curated summary of the original story published by MercoPress. The illustration is a stock photo by Ahmed akacha from Pexels and is not from the original story.

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