Venezuela quake death toll rises to 4,490 as relief efforts intensify

Venezuela's struggle to recover from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck on 24 June continues to deepen, with the official death toll climbing to 4,490, National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez said on Sunday, as authorities intensified relief and rehabilitation efforts across the disaster-hit regions.

In a daily update shared on social media, Rodriguez said the number of people injured remained unchanged at 16,740, while the scale of humanitarian assistance expanded significantly, with 120,794 survivors now receiving government support. To provide immediate shelter to thousands left without homes, authorities have established 108 temporary camps and emergency shelters across affected areas.

The massive rescue and relief operation remains in full swing, with 31,837 Venezuelan personnel deployed nationwide. They are being assisted by 2,422 international rescuers, reflecting a broad humanitarian response aimed at reaching communities devastated by the powerful tremors, according to Xinhua news agency.

The seismic activity has shown little sign of subsiding. Officials said Venezuela has recorded 1,222 aftershocks since the twin earthquakes, keeping residents on edge and complicating rescue, recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Speaking a day earlier, Rodriguez highlighted the growing wave of public solidarity, revealing that nearly 30,000 volunteers had registered to assist victims during the most critical phase of the disaster. He said the government plans to involve these volunteers in rebuilding efforts, including the construction of new homes and the repair of damaged properties.

With countless families still displaced, the government has also launched a Unified Housing Registry, a comprehensive database that will function both as a census of affected households and as the foundation for distributing state financial assistance to earthquake victims.

Rodriguez stressed the urgency of accelerating rehabilitation efforts, saying authorities must swiftly provide permanent housing to families whose homes were completely destroyed while undertaking repairs to partially damaged residences. As reconstruction progresses, the government also plans to establish transitional camps featuring single-family housing units to ensure displaced families have safe accommodation until permanent homes are completed.

In addition to immediate relief measures, the National Assembly is preparing longer-term policy interventions. Rodriguez said lawmakers would press ahead with reforms to Venezuela's rental law while introducing a system of housing credits and government subsidies designed to help earthquake-affected families purchase homes and rebuild their lives.

Addressing Venezuela's strained financial situation, Rodriguez also renewed calls for the release of state assets frozen overseas due to sanctions imposed by the United States and several other countries. He said acting president Delcy Rodriguez has written to multiple governments seeking the unfreezing of those funds, arguing that they are urgently needed to finance the country's recovery and reconstruction following one of its worst natural disasters in recent history.

With IANS inputs