Venezuela's double earthquake death toll surpasses 5,300 as rescue efforts continue

The earthquake sequence

Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela 39 seconds apart on 24 June, causing concentrated devastation along the northern coast, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira near the capital Caracas.

Rising death toll

Parliament president Jorge Rodriguez confirmed that the official death toll had reached 5,278 on Monday, then rose to at least 5,346 by Tuesday. Authorities recorded roughly 70 additional deaths in a 24-hour period. The number of wounded remained unchanged at 16,740.

Rescue and displacement

Crews continue to pull victims from the rubble of collapsed buildings in La Guaira. More than 23,100 people remain homeless and are housed in over 100 temporary camps, some without access to running water or sewerage.

Government response

Acting president Delcy Rodriguez handed over apartments in a Caracas social housing complex to about 200 families who lost their homes. She pledged to deliver 4,000 new homes to the affected by December, with monthly handovers, and over 10,000 more during 2027.

Moments of joy amid the pain of those who were the victims of the double earthquake.

Official data show 856 buildings sustained damage and 190 collapsed completely. Government estimates that around 25,000 new properties will be needed to rehouse everyone left homeless.

Missing persons

Authorities have not released an official figure for the missing. The day after the quake the UN estimated there could be as many as 50,000 people unaccounted for, while other estimates place the number closer to 10,000.