The official balance of fatalities from the double earthquake that devastated northern Venezuela on June 24 continues to rise: this Wednesday, Venezuelan authorities raised the figure to 5,398 deceased, after adding 190 additional deaths compared to the previous report.
The update was announced by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, who reported that there were 52 new deaths registered in the recent days.
On Sunday, July 19, the official toll recorded 5,208 victims, making this update the latest in an escalation that has not ceased since day one.
The official report for this Wednesday also details the humanitarian impact of the disaster: 16,740 injured, 6,462 people rescued, 17,907 displaced without housing, and 23,335 people accommodated in 107 temporary camps. A total of 128,324 families have received assistance.
Regarding the infrastructure, 856 buildings were affected and 190 completely collapsed. Emergency efforts have distributed nearly 11,000 tons of food and over 44.5 million liters of water, while 44,298 patients have received medical care.
The operation response mobilizes 2,278 international rescuers, 30,989 deployed personnel, and 31,745 volunteers. Since the main earthquake, there have been a total of 1,463 aftershocks.
The double earthquake —with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, occurring just 39 seconds apart— shook northern Venezuela at 6:04 PM local time on June 24.
The epicenters were located in the San Sebastián fault system, along the San Felipe axis (Yaracuy) and Yumare/Morón (Carabobo).
The coastal area of La Guaira state was the most devastated, with localities such as Caraballeda, Catia La Mar, Macuto, and Naiguatá experiencing massive building collapses.
The death toll has been steadily increasing since day one: 164 fatalities on June 25, over 1,900 on June 30, 3,342 on July 5, 4,490 on July 12, and 5,208 on July 19, reaching 5,398 this Wednesday.
The catastrophe has also struck the Cuban community residing in Venezuela. At least 32 Cubans have been reported missing, primarily in La Guaira, and at least nine have been confirmed dead.
On Monday, a Cuban woman confirmed the death of her parents and other relatives who had been trapped under the rubble of a building in Naiguatá since June 24.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) warned from the outset that the actual number of victims could be much higher, with a 42% chance that the total could range between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths.
The UN estimates that there are up to 68,000 missing and more than 6.7 million people affected by what is now considered the deadliest natural disaster in modern Venezuelan history.
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