Venezuelan authorities have updated this Wednesday the balance of the devastating earthquakes registered just over a week ago in the central coastal area of the country, placing the death toll above 3,800 people, while the injured count remains at 16,740.
The president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, detailed in a press conference that the total death toll amounts to 3,811, which is 126 more than the previous report, and that the number of people injured by the earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 on the Richter scale registered at the end of June remains at 16,740. These tremors have also caused severe damage to 856 buildings, of which 190 have collapsed.
Among the affected are 17,907 people who have lost their homes or whose homes have suffered "very severe" deterioration, as specified by the authorities, who have also indicated that assistance has been provided to 86,794 families, 6,462 people have been rescued alive, and more than 9,603 tons of food have been distributed.
Currently, 4,388 rescuers from abroad and 30,076 personnel mobilized to respond to the consequences of the strong earthquakes, followed so far by 1,102 aftershocks, are operating in the affected area, according to the latest official report released from Caracas.
Regarding temporary shelters, Rodríguez stressed that the Caracas government is "working rapidly to correct any situation or obstacle that may arise, so that when people arrive at the camps, they feel the peace of mind that there is a friendly hand holding theirs."
Nearly 17,000 people remain housed in one of the 61 camps set up in La Guaira, Caracas, and other areas hit by the earthquakes. In these spaces, he highlighted, the "strong psychological impact" suffered by those affected is clearly visible, which is why he emphasized the establishment of support telephone lines attended by mental health professionals.