Venezuela earthquake disaster: Death toll climbs past 1,700
Photo: over 15,000 people lost their homes (Getty Images)
The death toll from the two earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 1,719 people, states the head of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez.
According to him, 22,619 injured people are receiving treatment in hospitals, field hospitals, and triage points, while 15,866 people have lost their homes.
Currently, the government has set up 15 large shelters in La Guaira, the state hardest hit by the disaster, and another 50 in the capital, Caracas.
"Whenever we present these figures, we are not only deeply moved, but — from the bottom of our hearts, on behalf of all Venezuelan men and women — we extend our thanks to everyone. We make no distinction regarding which country anyone comes from. All are our brothers and sisters," Rodriguez said.
Bloomberg reports that search-and-rescue operations are continuing, with the participation of 3,319 foreign rescuers, 45 international delegations, 140 search dogs, 49 vehicles, and over 700 tons of humanitarian aid.
Jorge Rodriguez added that 75,238 families received assistance, and 7.2 tons of food were distributed in La Guaira.
As Bloomberg explains, international humanitarian workers have arrived in the country in recent days, as the Venezuelan government has limited capacity to deal with a disaster of this scale after years of sanctions and inefficient economic management.
