Venezuela earthquake toll rises to 3,889 as relief operations continue

CARACAS: Venezuela's death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck on June 24 has climbed to 3,889, while 16,740 people have been injured and thousands remain displaced, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Thursday.

In an official update posted on X, Rodriguez said assistance had reached 86,794 families affected by the disaster. He added that rescue teams had pulled 6,462 people from affected areas, while damage assessments showed 856 buildings were damaged and 190 had collapsed.

Rodriguez said authorities had delivered 9,603 metric tons of food and more than 12.1 million liters of water. He added that 28,836 patients had received medical treatment as part of the emergency response. According to the update, 30,076 personnel and 29,344 volunteers have been deployed for relief work, along with support from 3,931 international rescue workers.

He also said 89 temporary camps had been set up for displaced residents, and that authorities had recorded 1,142 aftershocks since the initial quakes. The US Geological Survey said two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude hit the South American country 39 seconds apart, causing widespread destruction and triggering a broad domestic and international humanitarian response.