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The Venezuelan government raised the death toll from the double earthquake on June 24 to 3,342 fatalities, while the number of injured after the tragedy stands at 16,740.
According to the official report published by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, there has been an increase of 388 deaths compared to the report from Saturday, when authorities confirmed 2,954 fatalities and 16,592 injuries due to the devastating earthquakes that struck the north of the country 11 days ago, which experts consider the greatest seismic disaster in over a century.
The official report indicates that 6,462 people have been rescued, 86,794 families were assisted, and 23,820 patients received medical care.
According to Venezuelan authorities, 17,345 people remain without housing, as buildings have collapsed or suffered damage that prevents them from being inhabited. Of the 856 affected buildings, 190 have completely collapsed. 79 temporary camps have been set up for the displaced individuals.
The response operation has mobilized 4,088 international rescuers from more than 15 countries, 29,567 personnel, and 27,482 volunteers.
Authorities also reported the distribution of 9,585 tons of food and 669,008 liters of water.
Since the day the earthquakes were recorded, 995 aftershocks have been counted.
The greatest devastation is concentrated in the state La Guaira, where 158 out of 190 buildings have reported total collapse. A NASA satellite analysis identified 58,870 damaged structures and estimated 1.2 million tons of debris in that region alone. The Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía remains out of service.
The official figures contrast sharply with international projections. The United States Geological Survey issued a Red Alert estimating between 10,000 and 100,000 fatalities, while the UN and the International Rescue Committee estimate between 50,000 and 68,000 people missing.
The Venezuelan government continues to withhold an official estimate of the missing, which has led to increasing questions about the authorities' transparency in providing information. Citizen platforms have recorded over 71,203 people unaccounted for.
The earthquakes of June 24 —a double seismic event with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 occurring just 39 seconds apart— are considered the largest seismic disaster in Venezuela since 1900. The epicenter was located in the Morón area, in the state of Carabobo, about 300 kilometers east of Caracas.
A reporter who covered the area described the extent of the destruction in Catia La Mar this Sunday with words that capture the scale of the tragedy: "I have been to disaster zones, I have been to earthquakes and you see that they are affected areas, sectors of the city. Here, it's everything, I mean, an entire city in total loss. This is indescribable."
The United Nations Development Programme estimated the material damages at 6.7 billion dollars, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's gross domestic product, in a country that was already experiencing a profound crisis before the earthquakes.
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