Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Nears 4,000 as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

By Frontline Reporters

The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has climbed to 3,889, nearly two weeks after the disaster, as rescue efforts wind down and humanitarian agencies intensify appeals for international assistance.

According to an official government report released on Thursday, the two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, also left nearly 17,000 people injured, while close to 18,000 residents were displaced after losing their homes.

The latest figures, released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on his Telegram channel, showed the number of confirmed deaths rising from 3,811 to 3,889, highlighting the enormous human cost of one of Venezuela’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.

As the country struggles with the aftermath, interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has called for the release of Venezuelan assets frozen abroad to support emergency response and reconstruction efforts. At the same time, the United Nations has launched an appeal for approximately $300 million to fund humanitarian and recovery operations, while the government is also in discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over access to blocked financial resources.

The coastal state of La Guaira, one of the worst-hit areas, suffered extensive destruction, with more than 800 buildings damaged and at least 190 structures completely collapsing, leaving thousands of families homeless.

Although emergency responders have largely ended the search for survivors, many grieving relatives continue to dig through the rubble in search of loved ones. Among them is Ciro Ocando, who believes his two teenage sons, aged 13 and 18, are buried beneath the debris in Playa Grande, La Guaira.

Accepting that there is little hope they survived, Ocando has continued the painful search with his own tools.

“I’m in the right place, but there are a lot of obstacles,” he told AFP as he searched through the wreckage.

With thousands dead, tens of thousands affected and entire communities devastated, Venezuela now faces the daunting task of rebuilding amid mounting humanitarian and economic challenges.

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