The number of confirmed deaths after two devastating earthquakes in Venezuela has officially risen to 3,811. The latest figures were presented by the Speaker of the Parliament, Jorge Rodriguez. The disaster toll shows another 16,740 injured. A total of 17,907 citizens have been left completely homeless as a result of the destruction.
The two powerful earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale hit the north-central region of the country on June 24, just 39 seconds apart. They have caused the collapse of residential buildings and critical infrastructure on a scale unseen in a century. The capital, Caracas, and the coastal state of La Guaira remain the hardest hit.
International aid and health crisis
The United Nations has already issued an urgent appeal to international donors to raise $296 million. The funds are needed to provide basic humanitarian needs, food, and clean water for more than 1.3 million affected citizens over the next six months. Initial UN estimates indicate that direct material damage amounts to nearly $37 billion.
The situation in dozens of temporary camps is deteriorating rapidly. Health experts from the Pan American Health Organization warn of a critical risk of infectious epidemics due to overcrowding and lack of running water. The local hospital network is extremely overwhelmed after several key hospitals suffered structural damage and were closed. On the ground, international aid organizations are building field clinics to accommodate the huge influx of patients.
Political clash over blocked billions
In the background, the disaster has unleashed a major international and domestic political dispute. The country's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, made an official address on state television VTV, demanding the immediate lifting of foreign economic sanctions. Caracas has requested access to its blocked billions abroad to finance a massive reconstruction effort. An official letter has also been sent to Britain's King Charles III, requesting the release of 31 tons of Venezuelan gold held in the vaults of the Bank of England.
The United States has already approved a temporary four-month window to allow otherwise prohibited transactions directly related to earthquake relief. Rescue operations on the ground are gradually moving into the debris-clearing and body-removal stages, while thousands of people across the country are still searching for their missing loved ones.