The number of confirmed deaths after the catastrophic back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela last month has risen to 4,829 people, world news agencies reported, citing a statement by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday. The humanitarian situation in the South American nation remains critical, with rescue teams continuing to clear debris in search of missing people three weeks after the quakes.
The tally: Thousands injured and buildings destroyed
According to official figures published by Rodriguez on social media, the number of injured citizens remains unchanged – 16,740 people, with the majority of them already discharged from hospitals. The natural disaster caused serious material damage, affecting a total of 856 buildings of which 190 have completely collapsed.
So far, government authorities and international missions have provided support to 128,324 familiesaffected by the disaster. Data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also confirms the scale of the tragedy, defining the situation as a national emergency.
What happened on June 24: The “double quake“ phenomenon
On June 24, 2026, Venezuela was shaken by two extremely strong earthquakes with a magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richterscale. They hit the north of the country in the space of just 39 seconds – a rare seismic phenomenon known among experts as a "doublet." According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the combination of a shallow source, prolonged shaking, and soft soil led to the brutal destruction of infrastructure. The coastal state of La Guaira, located north of the capital Caracas, was the hardest hit, with most of the apartment blocks collapsing on their residents.
Growing humanitarian crisis in refugee camps
The authorities have built 106 temporary camps currently housed 20,857 people. Another 17,907 citizens remain without permanent housing and live with relatives or in unofficial shelters. International humanitarian organizations, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), are warning of serious risks of epidemics. Many of the overcrowded camps suffer from an acute shortage of clean drinking water and adequate sanitation, which has already led to a rise in gastrointestinal diseases and difficulties in treating chronically ill patients.
The United Nations (UN) has launched an urgent appeal for 298 million US dollars in additional funding to provide first aid to nearly 1.3 million people over the next six months. According to initial UN economic estimates, the total direct damage from the earthquakes amounted to about $6.7 billion, equivalent to approximately 6% of Venezuela's gross domestic product.