Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 4,490 as Reconstruction Efforts Intensify

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Venezuela's official death toll from the powerful twin earthquakes that struck the country in late June has risen to 4,490, according to the latest government figures reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP), as authorities continue relief operations for tens of thousands of people displaced by one of the country's deadliest natural disasters in recent history.

The updated figures, released Sunday through the Venezuelan government's official Telegram account and cited by AFP, indicate that 16,740 people have been injured since the earthquakes devastated parts of the capital, Caracas, and the neighboring coastal state of La Guaira.

Authorities have not released a revised estimate of the number of people who remain missing, leaving uncertainty over the final human toll of the disaster as rescue and recovery efforts continue.

The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck on June 24, causing extensive destruction across affected communities.

According to AFP, numerous residential high-rise buildings collapsed, leaving entire neighborhoods buried under rubble and forcing thousands of residents from their homes.

More than two weeks after the disaster, displacement remains one of the country's most pressing humanitarian challenges.

Government figures cited by AFP show that 19,583 people are currently living in temporary camps established for families who lost their homes.

Emergency shelters have been set up in stadiums, public squares and along sidewalks in both Caracas and La Guaira, where many residents continue to rely on government assistance while awaiting more permanent housing solutions.

As emergency operations transition toward long-term recovery, Venezuelan officials have outlined plans aimed at relocating displaced families and rebuilding damaged communities.

According to AFP, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said apartments that were already under construction before the earthquakes will begin to be allocated to some affected families in the coming days.

Rodriguez also acknowledged that substantially greater resources will be required to address the scale of the housing crisis. He said authorities would need to finance additional residential construction while also supporting displaced residents through rental assistance and housing loans.

To support those plans, the government has designated more than 40 plots of land in La Guaira, covering approximately 584,000 square meters, for the construction of new housing developments, AFP reported.

International humanitarian assistance has also continued to reach the affected areas as relief efforts expand.

Foreign Minister Yvan Gil announced Sunday that a shipment of humanitarian aid from Russia had arrived in Venezuela to support ongoing emergency operations.

Separately, the U.S. Embassy said it has distributed 100,000 aid kits to communities affected by the earthquakes, providing additional assistance as thousands of families continue to cope with the aftermath of the disaster.

The latest official update reflects both the mounting human cost of the earthquakes and the immense recovery effort now underway.

While search operations, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction projects continue, Venezuela faces the long-term challenge of providing housing and essential services for thousands of displaced residents while rebuilding communities devastated by the twin earthquakes, AFP reported.