Venezuela quake death toll rises to 3,342; rescue ops wind down

The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has climbed to 3,342, with the information ministry also reporting 16,470 injured and 17,345 left homeless. The quakes, which struck on June 24, caused widespread building collapses, particularly in the coastal La Guaira region near the capital, Caracas.

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There will be no social unrest here, what we have here is deep social solidarity.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez defended her government's actions in the disaster's aftermath during a speech commemorating Venezuela's independence day. Her remarks came as many Venezuelans expressed growing frustration over what they described as a delayed and inadequate government response. Rodríguez stated that security forces were deployed immediately and announced a new military unit for emergency management. She asserted that the country would not descend into social unrest, citing "deep social solidarity."

Despite these assurances, many Venezuelans voiced anger over the government's response, particularly before international aid arrived. Eleven days after the earthquakes, international rescue teams, including U.S. squads, were wrapping up their operations. Some teams, like the Los Angeles County fire department's, reported finding no signs of life. In La Guaira, workers began demolishing collapsed structures, while some families continued to search for bodies of loved ones.

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We're still working, still searching for bodies. We're still going. It hasn't been easy.

Venezuelan volunteer Francisco Sasquia described the ongoing efforts, stating, "We're still working, still searching for bodies. We're still going. It hasn't been easy." He confirmed that two bodies had been recovered and released to their families. The United Nations estimated the earthquakes caused $6.7 billion in physical damage.

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We found two bodies that have already been released to their families.