The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has now risen to 3,342, according to the latest figures from the country’s Ministry of Information. The number of injured has reached 16,470, while the number of homeless has increased to 17,345, as the scale of the disaster continues to emerge in the affected areas.
The successive earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, mainly struck the coastal region of La Guaira, north of Caracas, causing widespread building collapses and hundreds of aftershocks. The number of missing remains unclear, with the UN estimating that as many as 50,000 people may still be unaccounted for.
More than 17,340 people have been left homeless and are staying in temporary shelters or tents.
Although more survivors have been found beneath the rubble in recent days, international rescue teams are gradually beginning to wind down their operations, as the critical 72-hour window has passed, after which the chances of finding people alive fall dramatically.
At the same time, criticism of the government is growing over delays in the delivery of aid, food, medical care and heavy machinery. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez rejected accusations of an inadequate response, saying that security forces were deployed immediately, while also announcing the creation of a new military unit to respond to emergencies and natural disasters.
Sources: Reuters, Deutsche Welle
What is fyi.news?
