Venezuela earthquake death toll reaches 4,490 as 19,500 shelter in camps and aid efforts intensify

The latest toll

Venezuelan authorities reported on Sunday that the death toll from the June 24 double earthquake has risen to 4,490, an increase of 157 from the previous day. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez published the figures on his Telegram account. The number of injured remains unchanged at 16,740, while 6,462 people have been rescued from the rubble. The official count of people left homeless stands at 17,907, though the government estimates that up to 25,000 homes may ultimately need to be rebuilt once damage inspections are complete.

“The death toll from the two earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,490.”

Displacement and shelter

More than 19,500 people are now living in 108 temporary camps, an increase of 14 shelters since Saturday. Most of these camps are set up in schools across Caracas and the neighbouring states of Miranda and La Guaira, the coastal region that bore the brunt of the destruction. More than half of the displaced are being assisted in La Guaira, with roughly 6,400 in Caracas. Many families who lost their homes are staying with friends or relatives, while others are crowded into parks, stadiums, and public squares. Aid organisations describe conditions in the camps as precarious, with a severe lack of clean water and poor sanitation.

“The issue we foresee just around the corner is the infections that patients who have been exposed to the disaster for the longest time might bring.”

Infrastructure damage and aftershocks

The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, toppled or damaged between 58,000 and 59,000 buildings, with more than 850 structures affected and 190 completely collapsed. The larger 7.5-magnitude tremor was the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. Since June 24, the country has recorded 1,222 aftershocks, keeping residents on edge and complicating rescue efforts. Venezuelan and foreign rescue teams continue to pull bodies from the debris, while hundreds of families search the ruins for missing relatives, though the chances of finding survivors are now considered minimal.

Government response and criticism

President Delcy Rodriguez, wearing a black ribbon of mourning, defended her administration against accusations that it was largely absent during the first 48 to 72 hours after the disaster. Residents in La Guaira have alleged that the initial lack of a serious government search-and-rescue operation forced them to dig through rubble with their bare hands. Rodriguez called the politicisation of the tragedy "disgraceful" and insisted her government acted immediately. Authorities say they have distributed 9,995 tonnes of food and 18.5 million litres of water, and that 120,794 families have received assistance. Some 30,535 volunteers and 31,837 officials from various agencies are deployed across the affected areas.

“We did not wait one day, two days or three days. We activated immediately.”

International aid and health concerns

International assistance continues to arrive. On Sunday, a Russian shipment of food and supplies reached Venezuela, announced Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Telegram. The United States embassy reported delivering 100,000 aid kits to affected communities. Medical teams from several countries are working in field hospitals to prevent a health crisis in the temporary camps. Eugenio Cova, head of the trauma unit at Caracas's Hospital del Oeste Dr. José Gregorio Hernández, warned that infections among patients with prolonged exposure to the disaster zone are an imminent threat. Authorities fear the death toll will rise further, as thousands of people remain unaccounted for.