Venezuela earthquake death toll exceeds 4,300
The Venezuelan government announced that the death toll from the June 24 earthquakes has reached 4,333, with 16,740 injured. The disaster destroyed numerous buildings, leaving thousands homeless.
The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on Saturday. On Friday, he had reported at least 4,118 dead and 16,740 injured. Several thousand people remain missing.
The earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit Lagvaira state near the coastal town of Morón. The second and stronger quake (7.5 M) was the largest in Venezuela in over a century. It occurred 39 seconds after the first and leveled entire multi-story residential buildings. Hundreds of aftershocks followed.
Families left homeless have set up camps in stadiums, squares, and on sidewalks. Rodríguez said more than 19,000 people are currently living in such camps. On Friday, a 3.0-magnitude aftershock in central Caracas caused panic and evacuations from buildings. Although rescue teams have ended their search for survivors, relatives of the missing continue to dig through the rubble, hoping to find bodies for a dignified burial.
Recovery efforts, hindered by a prolonged economic crisis, will require enormous resources. The UN on Wednesday appealed for about $300 million in aid. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Wednesday called for the unfreezing of Venezuelan financial assets abroad, including some 30 tons of gold frozen in the UK under sanctions.
