Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Surpasses 5,000, Over 21,000 Displaced

The Venezuelan government has released updated figures on the impact of the devastating earthquakes that struck the country in June. As of Friday (17/7), the reported death toll has surpassed 5,069, while tens of thousands of residents remain in evacuation centres.

Jorge Rodriguez, President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, issued an official statement detailing the scale of the destruction and the number of affected victims. According to government data, in addition to the thousands of fatalities, tens of thousands of people were injured by the violent tremors. Currently, 21,210 people are reported to be staying in 107 temporary shelters. The housing crisis was triggered by massive damage to residential infrastructure, with the government recording damage to 856 buildings, 190 of which were reported to have completely collapsed.

The disaster began on 24 June, when Venezuela was rocked by two successive major earthquakes. The first tremor registered a magnitude of 7.2, followed by a second magnitude 7.5 quake just 39 seconds later. The sheer scale of the seismic force within such a short interval was the primary cause of the high fatality rate and structural damage.

In response to the disaster, the Venezuelan government has declared a national state of emergency. A large-scale humanitarian operation has been deployed, involving tens of thousands of personnel from various agencies. International support continues to flow in through the dispatch of rescue teams and humanitarian aid. Collaboration between domestic personnel and international assistance is focused on the post-disaster recovery process and managing the welfare of those still residing in emergency tents.