CARACAS — Venezuelan authorities announced Monday that the death toll from the country’s twin earthquakes has climbed to 3,535, with nearly 18,000 people still left without homes more than a week after the disaster hit the capital and surrounding coastal regions.
Top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez released the latest official figures, which show 16,740 people were injured and 17,854 left without housing following the June 24 quakes. The two tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck within seconds of one another.
The updated numbers highlight the enormous scope of destruction in and around Caracas and La Guaira, the coastal area that suffered the worst damage, as public frustration over the government’s handling of the crisis continues to grow.
Venezuela’s social vice presidency reported that at least 12,800 displaced people are currently sheltering in 80 facilities spread across Caracas and La Guaira.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has pushed back against criticism of the government’s disaster response, which many Venezuelans have described as slow and insufficient. She said security forces were deployed immediately following the earthquakes and announced the establishment of a new military unit dedicated to handling future emergencies and disasters.
Reuters reporters on the ground in La Guaira Monday observed trucks and forensic workers carrying coffins, while heavy equipment dug trenches in an open field marked with white crosses — the site where authorities were burying unidentified victims.
The United Nations confirmed it is continuing to expand aid operations in coordination with the Venezuelan government in Caracas.
“Some search and rescue teams remain deployed in the affected areas, while other specialized engineering teams and medical support continue to arrive,” U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters Monday.
Dujarric added that a full assessment of humanitarian needs — which will guide an updated relief plan — is nearly finished, though he did not provide a timeline for its release. U.N. agencies are already delivering services at three camps and evaluating additional sites where support could be expanded.
