Venezuela earthquake death toll surpasses 6,000, over 17,000 injured
More than 6,000 people have died and over 17,000 were injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in late June.
Key Takeaways
AIJorge Rodriguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, announced that the death toll from two consecutive earthquakes that struck the country in the last week of June has exceeded 6,000.
The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused widespread destruction in northern Venezuela, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira near the capital, Caracas.
According to Agence France-Presse, the quakes claimed 6,125 lives and led to the collapse of around 200 buildings, most of them in La Guaira. Nearly 20,000 people remain in temporary shelters set up in stadiums, public squares, and on sidewalks. The earthquakes also left about 17,000 people injured.
La Guaira Governor Jose Alejandro stated that around 1,400 people are still missing. While the government has not released an official figure, experts estimate the number of missing at about 10,000.