The Daily Journal — Venezuelan authorities on Monday raised the death toll from the earthquakes that struck on June 24 to 1,719, while the number of injured climbed to 5,034, according to the latest official update presented by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly.
During an emergency briefing, Rodríguez also said that 15,866 people remain displaced, while 22,619 citizens have received treatment in hospitals, field hospitals, and triage centers operating in the affected states.
He added that material damage continues to increase as technical inspections move forward. So far, inspectors have identified damage in 855 buildings. Of those, 189 collapsed completely, while 666 sustained major partial or structural damage.
More than 600 aftershocks
Rodríguez said authorities have recorded 611 seismic events since the two earthquakes struck on the afternoon of June 24, including the two main quakes and 609 aftershocks.
He explained that a magnitude 4.2 aftershock occurred Monday morning. Residents felt the tremor, but it caused no additional damage.
“Fortunately, it did not affect any structures or any people,” he said.
90% of electric service restored in La Guaira
The official said crews continue to restore electricity in La Guaira and confirmed that 90% of the state’s electric service is now back online.
“The earthquake severely affected the electrical system in La Guaira, but at this hour, 90% of the service has already returned,” he said.
New shelters and structural assessments
Rodríguez announced that Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has created two special commissions to oversee the recovery phase.
The first commission will evaluate the habitability of damaged buildings using a color-coded classification system to determine which structures remain safe for occupancy, which require repairs, and which must come down.
The second commission is coordinating the installation of temporary shelters for families who lost their homes or cannot safely return to them.
Authorities have so far opened 15 shelters in La Guaira and 50 temporary camps across Caracas and Miranda.
More than 75,000 families receive assistance
The latest official report states that 75,238 families have received humanitarian assistance since the emergency began.
Authorities have distributed 7.237 million kilograms of food, 22,478 food packages, and 754,038 liters of drinking water throughout the affected areas.
In the healthcare sector, medical teams have treated 12,402 people, while 527 patients have been transferred to healthcare facilities in Caracas for specialized care.
International support continues to grow
Rodríguez said international cooperation continues to expand with the arrival of 45 foreign delegations, bringing the total response force to 3,319 rescue workers, 140 specialized search dogs, 49 support vehicles, and 707.063 tons of humanitarian aid.
“We are not making any distinction based on where people come from. They are all our brothers because we have come together to respond to this tragedy,” he said.
He also reported that 10,834 volunteers have registered at the coordination center operating from the Poliedro de Caracas. At the same time, more than 30,000 members of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, police agencies, Civil Protection, and other emergency organizations continue carrying out rescue, relief, and recovery operations in La Guaira and the other affected states.
