The toll from last month’s devastating earthquakes in Venezuela is worsening. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced that the number of fatalities from the two strong earthquakes on June 24 rose to 5,546, while the number of injured reached 16,740.
According to United Nations (UN) data, around 650,000 people were directly affected by the disaster, 230,000 of them children. The World Bank Group estimates that the direct material damage caused by the earthquakes in Venezuela stands at $19.6 billion.
Revised Damage Estimate
Earlier, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had assessed the direct material damage of the earthquakes at $6.7 billion on June 26. The World Bank's updated estimate has significantly raised that figure.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on June 24 just 39 seconds apart. According to national media reports, approximately 1,500 aftershocks have been recorded in the region since June 24.
In the disaster zone, more than 60,000 people, including 30,000 volunteers, are continuing search and rescue, debris removal, and humanitarian aid distribution efforts.