Venezuelan authorities have updated the death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that shook the central coastal strip of the country on June 24, and the figure now stands at almost 4,500 dead. The number of injured remains unchanged from the latest official reports, with a total of 16,740 people affected.
The president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, detailed this Saturday through his social networks that exactly 4,490 people have lost their lives as a consequence of the earthquakes —157 more than in the previous count— and 16,740 injured after the earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 on the Richter scale. The tremors have also caused severe damage to 856 buildings, of which 190 have completely collapsed.
Among the affected are 19,583 people housed in temporary shelters, according to data released by Venezuelan authorities, who have explained that they have provided assistance to 120,794 families, rescued 6,462 people, and distributed more than 9,995 tons of food in the affected areas.
Currently, 2,422 international rescuers are participating in the emergency operation —around a thousand fewer than on Friday— and 32,401 personnel have been mobilized to respond to the consequences of the strong tremors. Since the initial earthquakes, 1,222 aftershocks have been registered, according to the latest official report issued from Caracas.