Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises Above 3,500 People

The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 rose to 3,535 as of July 7, with 16,740 people injured and 17,854 left without housing.

Two quakes strike

The earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, hit northwestern and central Venezuela on June 24. The scale of the shaking caused widespread destruction, and the casualty count climbed sharply in the days that followed as rescue teams reached affected areas. The two large quakes left extensive damage across the affected regions. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors struck on the same day, June 24, compounding the destruction across the northwestern and central parts of the country.

Hardest-hit areas

The state of La Guaira was among the hardest hit, with severe building collapse reported across the region. Caracas, the capital, was also affected. The combination of collapsed structures and displaced residents left tens of thousands of people in need of shelter as the response got under way. Rescue teams concentrated on La Guaira, where the building collapse was most severe, while damage also reached the capital, Caracas.

Rising toll

As of July 7, officials put the death toll at 3,535, with 16,740 injured and 17,854 left without housing. The figures rose in the days after the June 24 quakes as search efforts continued and the full extent of the damage in La Guaira and Caracas became clearer. The number of people left without housing pointed to a large displacement crisis on top of the mounting death toll.