The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela a week ago has risen to 2,595, while 12,400 people have been injured, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference, Rodriguez emphasised that the updated figures followed a “rigorous” verification process. She noted that authorities cross-checked casualty data before releasing the latest toll to ensure accuracy, reports Anadolu Agnecy.
In one instance, five people initially registered as dead were found to be alive after authorities verified their identities through Venezuela’s fingerprint-based subsidised fuel system.
The 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, which hit the northern region on 24 June, have caused extensive destruction. According to Rodriguez, at least 855 buildings were damaged.
Preliminary assessments, based on the UN Development Programme’s Rapid Digital Analysis (RADIDA), estimate the damage to homes, businesses, and other assets at approximately $6.7 billion.
The government has allocated an initial $200 million for reconstruction and opened a dedicated account at the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean to receive international donations for housing projects.
Rodriguez also confirmed that the government is in discussions with the US State Department and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to mobilise resources for infrastructure repairs.
Further talks are underway with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, both of which have offered grants and credit facilities to support recovery efforts.
International assistance is already arriving, with a team of Israeli specialists on-site to help assess damaged buildings and support infrastructure recovery.
Earlier this week, Brazilian Defence Minister Jose Mucio visited the country to discuss expanding humanitarian cooperation and reconstruction assistance.
The human cost of the disaster remains high. Government estimates indicate that around 12,800 people lost their homes, while the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has recorded approximately 16,000 people displaced by the tremors.
