Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 5,398
A pair of powerful quakes struck northern Venezuela on 24 June, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, causing catastrophic damage. The latest official count puts the death toll at 5,398 and the number of injured at 16,740.
Around 17,000 people have lost their homes; 23,335 remain in 107 temporary camps while 128,324 families have received assistance. The disasters damaged 856 buildings, 190 of which collapsed, and generated 1,463 after‑shocks.
Rescue operations involved roughly 2,280 international rescuers, nearly 31,000 national security personnel and more than 31,000 volunteers. Humanitarian aid delivered about 10 million tonnes of food and 44 million litres of water. The International Monetary Fund approved $346 million for recovery, and the Venezuelan government has begun handing out new housing units, pledging 4,000 homes by year‑end and over 10,000 by 2027.
Authorities have not released official figures for the missing, but a citizen platform lists over 29,000 unaccounted for, and United Nations estimates suggest up to 50,000 could be missing.