The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week has risen to 1,719, while 5,034 people have been injured, authorities said, as emergency crews continue search, rescue and relief operations across the country’s worst-hit regions.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said authorities had also provided medical treatment to 12,402 people affected by the disaster and distributed more than 7.237 million kilograms of food to communities impacted by the earthquakes.
The updated figures come days after Venezuela declared a nationwide state of emergency following two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, which struck within seconds of each other on the evening of June 24. The back-to-back quakes caused widespread destruction, flattening homes, damaging infrastructure and leaving thousands of families displaced.
Rescue teams, supported by the military, emergency services and volunteers, remain deployed in affected areas, searching collapsed buildings and delivering humanitarian assistance. Authorities had earlier warned that casualty figures could continue to rise as crews reach isolated communities and complete damage assessments.