NGO Provea demands updated figures on earthquake victims in Venezuela

The Venezuelan NGO Programa Venezolano de Educación-Acción en Derechos Humanos (Provea) has publicly called on the Venezuelan government to update the official statistics concerning victims of the double earthquake that struck on June 24. Provea expressed concern that the numbers of deceased and missing persons have remained stagnant for weeks.

In a statement on social media, the NGO highlighted that authorities have not released new figures for missing persons since June 25, when the official report indicated 157 cases. "The Venezuelan state has gone 39 days without updating the number of people missing from the double earthquake: only 157 reported on June 25," Provea stated.

While official updates are lacking, citizen-led initiatives, such as Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela, have reportedly received over 29,000 reports concerning individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown. However, Provea cautioned that this information lacks a public registry for verification against official data.

Beyond the missing persons, Provea also questioned the absence of updated fatality figures. The last official report on deaths was released on July 24, stating 5,546 fatalities. The NGO stressed the importance of timely information, asserting, "Information saves lives and is a state obligation."

The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, also left 16,740 injured, nearly 18,000 homeless, affected 856 buildings, and caused 190 structural collapses, according to the latest official balance. The World Bank estimated the direct physical damages at $19.6 billion, warning that prolonged reconstruction could impact Venezuela's economic growth for the next decade.