CARACAS—The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela last month has risen above 5,000 as recovery teams continue clearing debris and locating victims in the country's hardest-hit coastal communities, authorities said.
The interim government said late Friday that 5,069 people had been confirmed dead following the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on June 24. Officials said the number of injured remained at 16,740, while ongoing search and recovery operations continued to uncover additional bodies, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, where the destruction was most severe.
Authorities attributed the latest increase in fatalities to continued debris-removal efforts rather than new seismic activity. The government also reported that 1,331 aftershocks had been recorded since the initial earthquakes, although no major new damage from the aftershocks has been announced.
Government figures indicate that 856 buildings were damaged and 190 collapsed completely in the disaster. Hundreds of bridges, roads and other public infrastructure were also affected, complicating relief operations and slowing access to some communities.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez has provided regular updates on casualty figures during the recovery effort. Earlier this month, officials reported that nearly 18,000 people had been left homeless by the disaster, with thousands receiving shelter and humanitarian assistance.
The twin earthquakes, centered west of Caracas, triggered widespread structural damage across parts of the capital and the Caribbean coast. Emergency responders, military personnel and international aid organizations have participated in search-and-rescue operations, debris clearance and the delivery of medical assistance since the disaster struck.
The updated death toll represents a significant increase from previous official counts issued in recent weeks as recovery crews gained access to heavily damaged areas. Authorities have continued to caution that casualty figures may change as identification efforts proceed and recovery operations reach additional collapsed structures.
Officials said recovery, damage assessment and humanitarian assistance remain underway in the affected regions, with engineering inspections and infrastructure repairs continuing alongside efforts to support displaced residents.
