The official death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela last week has climbed to 1,943, as reported by authorities on Tuesday. Jorge RodrÃguez, president of the National Assembly, stated that an additional 10,571 individuals have sustained injuries, while 28,380 people are currently receiving medical treatment or are sheltered in temporary camps.
The region was hit by back-to-back tremors measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude on the evening of June 24. These events caused widespread destruction and left tens of thousands of people unaccounted for. A strong aftershock occurred on Friday, causing further panic as residents fled into the streets.
Emergency response teams and volunteers have been working tirelessly to locate those trapped under debris. While the first 72 hours are considered critical for survival, rescue efforts continue nearly a week after the initial impacts. Video footage circulating on social media captures responders navigating through precarious, unstable spaces in an attempt to reach survivors.
Acting President Delcy RodrÃguez announced on Monday that 3,681 rescue specialists from 30 nations have joined the local recovery operations. Furthermore, the international community has contributed over 1,000 tons of essential supplies, 27 vehicles, and 118 search dogs to aid the mission. According to government figures, 6,450 people have been rescued from the rubble as of Tuesday, with 13,500 survivors managing to escape the disaster zones on their own.
In the wake of the catastrophe, UNICEF estimates that approximately 1.8 million people, including 680,000 children, are in urgent need of humanitarian support. Additionally, a preliminary assessment conducted by the United Nations Development Programme places the total cost of direct physical damage from the tremors at roughly $6.7 billion.
