Death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes surpasses 4,000

The death toll from last month's devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen above 4,000, authorities said on Friday (July 10), underscoring the scale of one of the country's worst natural disasters in more than a century.

Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela's National Assembly, said in a post on Telegram that at least 4,118 people have been killed and 16,740 injured since the twin earthquakes struck on June 24. Thousands of people remain missing, while the coastal state of La Guaira has suffered widespread devastation.

According to officials, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake was followed just 39 seconds later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, making it the most powerful earthquake to hit Venezuela in more than 100 years. The back-to-back quakes reduced numerous apartment buildings and other structures to rubble within seconds.

Rescue teams have now ended the search for survivors, saying there is no longer any realistic hope of finding people alive beneath the debris. However, many families continue searching through the rubble in the hope of recovering the bodies of missing relatives for a dignified burial.

Fresh concern emerged on Friday after a magnitude 3.0 aftershock was felt in the capital, Caracas, prompting authorities to temporarily evacuate several buildings as a precaution.

The disaster has further strained Venezuela's already fragile public services, weakened by years of economic crisis, leaving the government facing an enormous reconstruction challenge.

The United Nations on Wednesday appealed for nearly $300 million in emergency international assistance to support relief and recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, interim President Delcy Rodríguez has urged the release of Venezuelan state assets frozen abroad to help finance reconstruction. She said she had appealed to King Charles III to facilitate the release of approximately 30 tonnes of Venezuelan gold held under UK sanctions.