Venezuela and UN launch 60-day plan to assess earthquake reconstruction needs

Venezuela and the United Nations have initiated a 60-day joint plan to comprehensively assess the damage and reconstruction needs following the devastating earthquake on June 24. This "Post-Disaster Needs Assessment" aims to offer a "common and objective vision of the damages, losses, and recovery needs," according to Gianluca Rampolla, the outgoing UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in the country.

The initiative will be led by the Venezuelan government with technical support from the UN System, the European Union, and the World Bank. Over the next two months, a multidisciplinary team will analyze the situation in nine socio-economic sectors within the most affected regions. The goal is to formulate technical recommendations to guide reconstruction decisions.

Rampolla announced that evaluations would begin with initial working meetings, emphasizing that the process's success hinges on the "commitment, collaboration, and permanent exchange among all participating institutions." Venezuelan Minister of Education, Héctor Rodríguez, confirmed that a "detailed and realistic" report would be prepared after the initial meetings to establish the recovery plan's general guidelines. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez expressed confidence in "extraordinary fruits" from the agreement and the effectiveness of the coordination mechanisms with international bodies.

The official toll from the disaster stands at 5,546 deaths, 16,740 injured, and approximately 18,000 people left homeless. Authorities reported 856 damaged buildings and 190 total collapses. The World Bank estimates the direct physical damage at $19.6 billion, warning that a slow reconstruction response could jeopardize Venezuela's economic growth and recovery for the next decade.