By Sabiu Abdullahi
The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has increased to 3,889, according to updated figures released by the country’s authorities on Thursday.
Government officials said the twin earthquakes, which measured magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, also left nearly 17,000 people injured. The disaster displaced close to 18,000 residents after their homes were destroyed.
The latest report, which National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez shared on Telegram, showed that the number of confirmed deaths had risen from 3,811 to 3,889.
As relief efforts continue, interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has appealed for the release of Venezuelan assets frozen abroad to help fund humanitarian assistance and reconstruction projects.
The United Nations is seeking about $300 million to support recovery efforts in the country. The Venezuelan government is also in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over access to its financial assets, according to IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack.
La Guaira, a coastal state that suffered some of the worst destruction, recorded extensive damage. Officials said more than 800 buildings sustained damage, while 190 structures collapsed completely.
Although emergency agencies have reduced search-and-rescue operations two weeks after the disaster, many families are still searching for missing loved ones.
One of them is Ciro Ocando, who believes he has identified the spot where his two teenage sons remain buried beneath the rubble in Playa Grande, La Guaira. Ocando said he no longer expects to find them alive and now hopes only to recover the bodies of his 13-year-old and 18-year-old sons.
