Venezuela earthquake death toll rises past 4,000 as recovery crisis deepens

The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has passed 4,000, the government confirmed on Friday. At least 4,118 people were killed and 16,740 injured in the back-to-back June 24 quakes, Venezuelan parliament chief Jorge Rodriguez announced on Telegram, with thousands more still listed as missing.

What is the current death toll from the Venezuela earthquake?

At least 4,118 people were killed and 16,740 injured in the twin earthquakes that struck on June 24, according to the Venezuelan government. Thousands more remain missing. The 7.5 magnitude quake, the strongest in Venezuela in over a century, struck 39 seconds after the first 7.2 magnitude shock, flattening entire high-rise apartment blocks in the coastal state of La Guaira.

Rescue teams have abandoned the search for survivors, but family members continue to search the ruins in hopes of recovering their loved ones for a dignified burial. On Friday, a 3.0 magnitude tremor in central Caracas caused momentary panic and led to buildings being evacuated. The aftershock added to widespread anxiety in a country still reeling from one of the worst natural disasters in Latin American history.

How is Venezuela responding to the earthquake recovery crisis?

The scale of the recovery effort is severe, with state services already severely degraded by a prolonged economic crisis before the earthquakes struck. The United Nations issued an urgent appeal on Wednesday for nearly $300 million to fund earthquake relief operations. Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez has called for the release of frozen assets held abroad to support the recovery.

Rodriguez said on Wednesday she asked King Charles III to release approximately 30 tons of Venezuelan gold currently frozen under UK sanctions. The request reflects the government's struggle to fund a recovery operation far beyond the country's current financial capacity. No response from the UK government has been publicly reported.