The death toll from the twin earthquake that struck northern Venezuela on June 24 is rising again. According to official figures, the number of dead has reached 5,546, while thousands more are reported injured, displaced, or homeless.
The official toll rose in the last 48 hours
The updated figures were made public by National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, who announced that 148 additional deaths had been recorded over the past 48 hours.
According to this toll, the number of injured remains at 16,740, while 17,907 people have lost their homes after the twin shocks of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5.
Thousands displaced and hundreds of buildings damaged
The official account speaks of 23,811 displaced people who have been sheltered in 107 temporary camps. In addition, 128,324 families are reported to have benefited from aid.
The damage toll includes 856 affected buildings, of which 190 have collapsed. Authorities have also recorded around 1,500 aftershocks, showing that the situation on the ground remains serious and unstable.
UN: more than 100,000 assisted, but funding remains a condition
The United Nations World Food Programme said it has so far helped more than 100,000 people in the affected areas.
According to the WFP assessment, the operation could be expanded to 500,000 beneficiaries over the next two months, but only if the requested funding of $80 million is secured.
The humanitarian crisis is deepening
The rising death toll, thousands of displaced people, and extensive building damage show the scale of the crisis left behind by the earthquake in Venezuela.
At this stage, the main burden remains on the capacity of the authorities and humanitarian agencies to cope with the emergency, while needs on the ground appear to be growing faster than the financial response.
With the toll continuing to rise and funding still not fully secured, the situation in Venezuela remains an open humanitarian emergency.
The official figures show the scale of the blow, but also the limits of a response that remains dependent on available funding and infrastructure.