Venezuela earthquake death toll surpasses 3,500
The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 3,535, with nearly 18,000 people left homeless. Experts warn of a looming health crisis as thousands sleep in crowded shelters with limited access to clean water.
Lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez announced on Monday that the official death toll from the June 24 earthquakes now stands at 3,535, with 16,740 injured. A total of 17,854 people have been left without housing, and at least 12,800 are staying in 80 shelters in the hardest-hit regions of Caracas and La Guaira.
The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck within seconds of each other near Caracas and La Guaira. An estimated 60,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Experts are warning of a growing health crisis. Thousands of displaced people are sleeping in crowded temporary shelters or outdoors without clean water. Many have untreated injuries and infectious diseases, overwhelming the country's healthcare system. Dr. Eugenio Cova, head of the trauma unit at a Caracas hospital, noted that while the period of complex trauma has passed, infections are now a major concern. In La Guaira, there have been reports of diarrhoea and other illnesses.
Frustration with the government's response has led citizens to take rescue and aid efforts into their own hands. Carolina Jimenez, president of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), criticized the state's slow response, stating that in other countries the state is the first responder, but in Venezuela it has been the last. She highlighted that aid is coming from citizens, civil society, and volunteers, not the government.
