Official toll from Venezuela earthquakes rises to over 3,340 dead and 16,740 injured

The official death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has climbed to 3,342, with injuries reaching 16,740, according to Venezuelan Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez. This represents an increase of 388 fatalities since the previous day, as recovery efforts intensify to retrieve bodies from beneath the rubble.

Official reports state that 6,462 individuals have been rescued and 17,345 have lost their homes, leading to the establishment of 79 temporary camps. The number of affected buildings stands at 856, with 190 having completely collapsed. So far, 86,794 families have received assistance, with 9,585 tons of food and 669,008 liters of water distributed.

While 29,567 military and security personnel are deployed, along with 27,482 volunteers, the number of people still unaccounted for has not been updated by authorities. A citizen initiative, 'Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela,' has registered over 31,000 individuals who cannot be contacted.

This double earthquake is the deadliest to hit Venezuela in a century, surpassing the 1967 Caracas earthquake that killed 245 people. The recent tremors affected Caracas and six northern states, with La Guaira bearing the brunt of the devastation, a region still recovering from a deadly mudslide in 1999. As international rescue teams have now withdrawn after 11 days, Venezuelan volunteers, firefighters, and civil defense continue the arduous task of clearing debris.