Death toll rises to 5,398 after double seismic event in Venezuela

Nearly 5,400 people have died in Venezuela following a powerful double seismic event last month, authorities announced Wednesday. The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck on June 24, causing hundreds of buildings to collapse.

The state of La Guaira was the most severely affected. Daily updates from National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez indicate the death toll has reached 5,398, an increase of 52 from the previous day. While the government has not released an official list of missing persons, national and international organizations estimate thousands remain unaccounted for.

Rescue teams, bolstered by international contingents, have pulled 6,462 survivors from the rubble. However, many families are still searching for the bodies of their loved ones. The emergency response is now shifting focus to humanitarian aid, debris removal, and reconstruction.

To support these efforts, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released $346 million to Venezuela from its reserves. The government has pledged to deliver 4,000 homes to those displaced by the disaster before the end of the year, with an additional 10,000 planned for 2027. The National Assembly has also approved legal reforms to expedite housing construction and the purchase of secondary market homes. A biometric census is underway to better assess the housing deficit caused by the disaster. Since the initial earthquakes, 1,405 aftershocks have been recorded, the strongest being a magnitude 3.9 tremor on July 10.