Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Hits 5,398, Thousands Missing

Officials said on Wednesday that the death toll has now reached 5,398. That’s 52 more than the previous day. The number of injured remains at 16,740.

What Happened In June

On June 24, Venezuela was hit by two big earthquakes.  

• First quake: Magnitude 7.2  
• Second quake: Magnitude 7.5  

The quakes destroyed hundreds of buildings. The worst damage was in La Guaira state on the northern coast.

Thousands Still Missing

The government has not released an official number for missing people. But many national and international groups believe thousands are still unaccounted for.

Search teams are still looking for people trapped under rubble. But after one month, the focus is now shifting to relief work and rebuilding homes.

There have also been 1,405 aftershocks in the past month.

Reconstruction Plans Announced

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez promised to build 4,000 homes by the end of 2025 for people who lost their houses. Around 23,000 people are homeless right now. 

Her bigger goal is 10,000 homes by 2027.]

To help with rebuilding, the IMF released $346 million from Venezuela’s reserves. The National Assembly also passed new rules to speed up construction of housing.

Bottom Line

Venezuela is moving from rescue operations to recovery. But with thousands still missing and homes destroyed, the road to rebuild will be long.

Note: This is a developing story. Numbers may change as search and rescue continues.