The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, according to the president of the National Assembly, who said housing allocations for survivors will begin next week.
Jorge Rodríguez told reporters on Saturday, July 11, that 315 of the victims have yet to be identified. He added that the number of injured remains unchanged at 16,740, with 6,462 people rescued from the rubble and about 17,000 left without homes.
According to Rodríguez, acting President Delcy Rodríguez will allocate the first 200 houses to earthquake victims next week, though no further details were given.
Rodríguez said 856 buildings were affected by the earthquakes, with 190 either completely destroyed or structurally collapsed.
Early government estimates suggest at least 25,000 homes will be needed for displaced residents. Officials have secured around 40 plots of land, covering roughly 584,000 square metres, for housing projects in the villages of Osma and Chuspa, reported MGR Online.
Rodríguez said search operations are continuing, with rescue teams still working through a couple of areas where the situation remains uncertain. He described the ongoing effort,
‘As long as there is life, there is hope. We still have one or two spots where the situation remains uncertain. We are actively searching for survivors in these areas.’
In related news, rescue teams from across the world have converged on Venezuela as the earthquake death toll climbed past 1,400, with search efforts entering their fourth day. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck on Wednesday, June 24, triggering hundreds of aftershocks. Officials say thousands may remain missing or trapped, while an opposition website puts the figure above 55,000. More than 1,600 foreign rescue workers have arrived, with search teams spread across La Guaira state and Caracas. Access to La Guaira remains restricted, and power is only gradually returning. The US Geological Survey warns the toll could eventually exceed 10,000.
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