Death toll from Venezuela quakes rises past 6,000

On June 24, a pair of powerful earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela, resulting in a death toll exceeding 6,000, according to the National Assembly Chief Jorge Rodríguez. The devastating tremors caused numerous buildings to collapse, primarily in the coastal state of La Guaira, located north of Caracas. Prior to the updated count, the death toll had been recorded at 5,546, with over 17,000 individuals sustaining injuries.

Rescue efforts and family members have been tirelessly combing through the debris to locate any surviving victims. Local media reports indicate that La Guaira Governor José Alejandro Terán stated that approximately 1,400 individuals remain missing, although the government has not officially confirmed this figure, with projections suggesting it could reach as high as 10,000.

Apart from the 190 structures completely destroyed, authorities have identified 6,433 buildings as high-risk, while another 9,866 have been categorized as restricted housing due to their hazardous nature for residents. Currently, nearly 24,000 people in La Guaira and Caracas are residing in temporary shelters following the earthquakes.

Recently, Venezuelan politicians unanimously passed a law aimed at facilitating the rental of properties, aimed at assisting those displaced by the earthquakes. This measure, intended to provide relief to the affected populace, must be enacted by interim leader Delcy Rodríguez to officially become law. Rodríguez has expressed an estimation of around 400,000 homes potentially benefiting from this legislation.

The Venezuelan Government had initially pledged to offer 4,000 homes to earthquake victims by year-end, with hopes that this number would surpass the projected 10,000 by 2027.