Venezuela earthquake death toll passes 5,000 as IMF releases $346 million for reconstruction

The twin earthquakes

On 24 June, two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela's Caribbean coast within 39 seconds of each other. The epicentre was near La Guaira, a coastal state 40 kilometres north of Caracas that is home to the country's main international airport, a major seaport and hundreds of apartment towers. The force of the tremors caused 190 buildings to collapse completely and damaged another 856 so severely they are now uninhabitable. More than 1,300 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial shocks.

Death toll and displacement

National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced on 17 July that the confirmed death toll had reached 5,069, with most fatalities in La Guaira. Another 16,740 people were injured, though most have since been discharged from hospital. The United Nations estimated in the days after the disaster that the number of missing could be as high as 50,000. Around 20,000 people are now homeless, sheltering in makeshift camps set up in stadiums, public squares and on pavements, many without reliable access to clean water or sanitation.

IMF releases $346 million

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Friday that Venezuela had drawn $346 million from its reserve tranche at the International Monetary Fund. The money, which had been frozen since 2019 because the IMF did not recognise the government of former president Nicolás Maduro, will be used for housing, infrastructure and essential public services.

Venezuela initially accessed US$346 million of its own resources at the International Monetary Fund, which will be used to support affected families with housing, infrastructure, essential public services, among other needs.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the release, stating that the institution had worked with key counterparts to help Venezuela access its own resources for urgent humanitarian needs. The funds come from the country's reserve tranche, which IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack described on 9 July as a source of liquidity that can be mobilised quickly. Venezuela also holds 3.568 billion Special Drawing Rights (approximately $5.1 billion) that remain blocked.

Rescue efforts and public anger

Three weeks after the earthquakes, relatives and volunteers are still searching for bodies in the rubble of collapsed buildings in La Guaira. Clouds of flies spread through the ruins. Some families have resorted to paying private individuals, known locally as "moles", to recover their dead. One relative told AFP anonymously that he would pay $300 for help locating a family member.

At no time have state agencies shown interest in the bodies inside that structure of stone. In fact, there are visible bodies and if there are no relatives to identify them, they are not taken into account.

Without a state to represent you, we are adrift, at the mercy of God. I cannot break that wall; for many relatives, paying these 'moles' is the last resort.

A Reuters investigation published on Saturday found that the crucial first days of the rescue effort were hampered by delayed military deployment orders, shortages of basic rescue equipment and confusion caused by overlapping chains of command. Interim President Rodriguez insisted that "nobody will go to a mass grave", referring to government efforts to locate and identify victims. As of 17 July, 2,278 international rescuers and 31,745 volunteers were working on the ground.

Political and financial backdrop

The IMF and World Bank restored relations with Venezuela in April 2026, after the United States removed Maduro in a military operation in January. The resumption of ties ended a seven-year freeze and opened the way for a full IMF assessment of the Venezuelan economy for the first time in about 20 years. Delcy Rodriguez had spoken with Georgieva on 8 July to press for the release of blocked resources, and the interim government has maintained regular contact with the Fund since April to complete technical procedures for future access to financial instruments.