Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Exceeds 4,000; International Aid Needed
At least 4,118 people died and 16,740 were injured in the June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela. The interim president has asked the UK to release 30 tons of frozen Venezuelan gold for disaster relief.
The Venezuelan government has confirmed that more than 4,000 people lost their lives in the earthquakes that struck on June 24. National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez announced on Telegram that the death toll has reached 4,118, with 16,740 injured and thousands more still missing.
The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, occurred in La Guaira state near the coastal town of Morón. The second quake, a magnitude 7.5, was the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century and struck just 39 seconds after the first. It destroyed several multi-story residential buildings.
Search and rescue operations have ended, but relatives of the missing continue to dig through the rubble hoping to find their loved ones and give them a dignified burial.
Recovery efforts will require massive resources. The United Nations has called for approximately $300 million in aid for Venezuela. Meanwhile, interim President Delcy Rodríguez on Wednesday appealed to King Charles III of the United Kingdom to unfreeze about 30 tons of Venezuelan gold held under UK sanctions, so that the funds can be used to address the consequences of the disaster.
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