Venezuela quake death toll climbs to 2,645 after June 24 twin earthquakes
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The death toll from the twin earthquakes that devastated Venezuela on 24 June has risen to 2,645, with a further 12,666 people reported injured, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez confirmed in an update on 4 July. The disaster, triggered by two powerful tremors measuring magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 north of Caracas, has become one of the deadliest seismic events in Venezuela's modern history.
Scale of Destruction
According to Rodriguez, who also heads the national command centre for temporary relief camps, 885 buildings were damaged and a further 189 collapsed entirely. The earthquakes have generated 890 aftershocks since 24 June, compounding the humanitarian challenge on the ground. Authorities have noted that tens of thousands of people remain unaccounted for.
Rescue and Relief Operations
Rodriguez reported that 6,462 people had been rescued and 86,117 families had received assistance as of Friday. A total of 3,305 international rescuers and 29,567 emergency responders remain deployed across the country. Authorities have established 59 temporary camps to shelter those displaced, including 13 in La Guaira, eight in Caracas, two in Miranda, and one each in Carabobo and Yaracuy.
National Mourning Declared
Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez declared seven days of national mourning in tribute to the victims, effective from 6:00 pm on the day of the announcement. “In honour of the memory of the victims, I have decided to decree National Mourning for seven (7) days, starting at 6:00 p.m. today,” she wrote in a statement posted on social media. She added: “In these moments of profound sadness, we embrace those who suffer from this tragedy and reaffirm our commitment to accompany and protect them.” Delcy Rodriguez further stated that “Venezuela’s soul is torn by the human losses caused by the devastating earthquakes.”
Emergency Registration Drive
Rodriguez also called on health workers, security personnel, and firefighters to register on the Patria platform to address the acute housing crisis created by the earthquakes. Authorities said camps were being rapidly equipped and affected families transferred to them as quickly as possible. This comes amid mounting international concern over the pace of the relief effort and the capacity of Venezuela’s strained public infrastructure to absorb a disaster of this magnitude.
What Comes Next
With aftershocks continuing and tens of thousands still unaccounted for, the humanitarian situation in Venezuela remains critical. International rescue teams are expected to remain deployed for the foreseeable future, while the government faces pressure to accelerate the transition of displaced families from temporary camps to more permanent shelter solutions.