The confirmed death toll from two devastating earthquakes in Venezuela has officially reached 3,889 people. The data was announced by the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez. The injured in the disaster are at least 16,740 people. About 17,907 citizens have been left completely homeless. They are accommodated in dozens of temporary camps and shelters.
Scale of Destruction
The natural disaster struck the country on June 24 with two extremely strong and consecutive earthquakes with magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale. They occurred within an interval of just 39 seconds. The earthquakes collapsed entire residential complexes and caused enormous material damage. The areas around the capital Caracas and the coastal city of La Guaira were the hardest hit. According to official reports in La Guaira, over 800 buildings were seriously damaged and 190 were completely razed to the ground. So far, over 1140 aftershocks.
Tensions and international aid
Two weeks after the disaster, rescue teams began to cease search operations. This caused serious dissatisfaction and criticism among the local population. Dozens of families are still trying to dig through the ruins themselves with improvised tools in search of their missing loved ones. Authorities report that nearly 30,000 employees and thousands of volunteers have been mobilized in critical areas, assisted by about 4,000 foreign rescuers.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez again appealed to the international community. She is demanding the urgent release of Venezuela's frozen financial assets abroad so that the country can deal with the severe humanitarian catastrophe.
A looming health crisis
The United Nations (UN) has launched a fundraising campaign for $300 million in emergency aid for recovery. At the same time, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has warned of an imminent risk of epidemics. Overcrowded refugee camps, lack of access to clean drinking water and severely damaged hospital infrastructure create the conditions for the spread of acute respiratory and stomach diseases among the tens of thousands left on the streets.