The death toll from Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes has risen to 4,490, underscoring the scale of a disaster that continues to reshape communities weeks after the tremors struck.
In an update released on Sunday, the Venezuelan government said 16,740 people had been injured, while 19,583 others were living in temporary camps after losing their homes. Officials did not provide a figure for those still missing.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck on June 24, hitting the capital, Caracas, and the neighbouring coastal state of La Guaira. Entire apartment blocks collapsed, leaving rescue teams and residents searching through mountains of concrete and twisted steel.
Emergency shelters have since been set up in stadiums, public squares and along pavements in some of the worst-affected areas. Thousands of families remain uncertain about when they will be able to return to permanent housing.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said the government would begin handing over completed apartments to some displaced families in the coming days. He acknowledged, however, that rebuilding would require substantial investment.
“We will begin delivering homes that were already under construction,” Rodríguez said, adding that more resources would be needed to build new housing, provide rental assistance and support families seeking to buy property.
According to the government, more than 40 plots of land covering roughly 584,000 square metres have been designated in La Guaira for new housing developments as reconstruction efforts gather pace.
International assistance has also begun arriving. Foreign Minister Yván Gil said a shipment of humanitarian aid from Russia had reached Venezuela, while the United States Embassy announced it had delivered 100,000 relief kits to affected communities.
As search, relief and recovery operations continue, thousands of survivors remain in temporary shelters, relying on emergency support while authorities work to rebuild homes and restore essential services.
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