Venezuela quake toll rises to 4,490

Venezuela’s earthquake death toll has climbed to 4,490, surpassing the figure of 4,333 announced a day earlier, as authorities accelerate housing assistance for thousands displaced by the June 24 disaster.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said 16,740 people had been injured by the twin earthquakes, while 6,462 had been rescued from collapsed buildings and debris. The number of people left homeless has risen to 17,907 as damage assessments continue across Caracas, La Guaira and other parts of north-central Venezuela.

The revised tally underscores the continuing scale of the disaster more than two weeks after two powerful earthquakes struck within 39 seconds of each other. The first, measured at magnitude 7.2, was followed by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, with the epicentres located west of Caracas near the communities of San Felipe and Yumare.

Authorities said 315 bodies had not been identified through conventional methods. DNA samples and dental records have been collected to support the identification process, which officials expect could take weeks as forensic teams work through the large number of casualties.

The government plans to begin distributing housing to affected families this week. Officials are considering newly built homes, rental accommodation and temporary shelters as part of a broader effort to relocate displaced residents before the school year begins in September.

Preliminary reconstruction estimates indicate that about 25,000 homes may be required. Authorities have identified 40 plots of land in La Guaira for possible housing projects, while legislators are examining changes to rental laws intended to bring vacant properties back into use.

Emergency teams continue to search damaged neighbourhoods, although the operation has shifted increasingly from rescue to recovery. Firefighters, soldiers, civil defence personnel and international specialists have worked alongside residents who organised informal search groups during the first days after the earthquakes.

Hospitals faced severe pressure after the disaster, receiving thousands of patients with fractures, crush injuries, burns and respiratory problems caused by dust exposure. About 91 per cent of those recorded as injured have been discharged, easing some of the strain on medical facilities.

The earthquakes caused extensive damage to residential towers, public buildings, roads and utility networks. Several housing complexes built during earlier government construction programmes suffered major structural failures, prompting questions about building standards, maintenance and enforcement in earthquake-prone areas.

Caraballeda, a coastal resort town in La Guaira state, has emerged as one of the worst-hit locations. Entire sections of apartment blocks collapsed, trapping families and leaving survivors searching for relatives amid unstable concrete and twisted metal.

Power supplies, telecommunications and transport links were disrupted across affected areas. Simón Bolívar International Airport temporarily suspended operations, while parts of the Caracas metro system and natural gas network were shut as engineers inspected infrastructure for damage.

Schools were closed after the earthquakes, with some converted into shelters for displaced families. Aid centres have distributed food, drinking water, medicine, clothing and hygiene supplies, although access to several communities was slowed by damaged roads and landslides.

The United States has committed more than $310 million in disaster assistance, while rescue crews and humanitarian supplies have arrived from several countries. International support has included medical teams, search dogs, engineering specialists and equipment for locating people beneath rubble.

Seismologists said the earthquakes resulted from shallow strike-slip faulting near the boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates. Their limited depth amplified surface shaking, while steep terrain west of Caracas increased the threat of landslides.

The June 24 sequence was unusual because two major earthquakes occurred almost simultaneously. The second and stronger shock struck before residents and emergency services had time to respond to the first, intensifying structural damage and complicating evacuation efforts.