Sunday 28 / June / 2026
Caracas: The death toll from the twin earthquakes in northwestern Venezuela has risen to 1,430, a top lawmaker said.
The figure is 55% increase from the previous 920 toll.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodriquez told state television that another 3,200 people were injured and 3,100 left homeless by the disaster.
Earlier, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) detected an earthquake of magnitude 5.6 off the coast of Venezuela.
The 5.6-magnitude earthquake impacted the waters off the coast of Aragua with the seismic event occurring days after the region experienced twin earthquakes that reportedly resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,500 individuals.
Residents, meanwhile, have complained of a lack of organisation in the government's recovery efforts, with the situation made worse by mobile and internet outages in some areas.
Several aftershocks and smaller quakes have been reported after Venezuela was hit by two major earthquakes on Wednesday, one with a magnitude of 7.2 and the other 7.5.
Rescuers are still on their toes to rescue possible survivors of those earthquakes. At least 1,430 people have been confirmed dead so far after Wednesday's quakes. Another 51,000 have been reported missing, as per Al Jazeera.
Authorities have said that recovering survivors will become increasingly unlikely if they are not found within the first 72 hours after an earthquake strikes. Many people are believed to be buried under the rubble from collapsed buildings, and the death toll is expected to climb.
As per UNDP, the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 caused significant human suffering and loss of life, while also severely affecting livelihoods, infrastructure, and essential services. This includes a preliminary estimate of USD 6.7 billion in direct physical damage, equivalent to around 6% of GDP, according to a satellite-based Rapid Digital Assessment (RAPIDA) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). While the economic impact is substantial, the greatest loss is borne by the people and communities.
Venezuela earthquake may have impacted nearly 7 million, says UN
Almost seven million people may have been impacted by the twin earthquakes in Venezuela, the United Nations estimated.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said "up to 6.76 million people could be affected," adding that the calculation was based on available population and damage data.
The projections include up to two million people in Caracas alone.
The IOM said the estimate highlights "the potentially vast humanitarian impact of the disaster."
The national death toll stands at 920, while thousands of people remain missing, many of them trapped under the rubble in the coastal city, La Guaira, and elsewhere.
The UN migration agency urged a bigger response from the international community, adding that the country's needs were "immediate and significant."
IOM called for emergency shelter, safe water and sanitation, as well as health care.
Venezuela receives aid from 24 countries
Meanwhile, Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, on Saturday, said that 24 countries have extended assistance to the country following the devastating twin earthquakes that rattled the South American country a few days back by sending humanitarian aid, specialised rescue teams and thousands of emergency response personnel.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Rodriguez said the international community has so far provided 521 tonnes of relief supplies, deployed 86 specialised canine search teams, and sent more than 2,741 search, rescue and technical support personnel, who have already joined Venezuelan teams in responding to the disaster.
"At this time, we have received support from 24 countries in the international community who have sent a total of 521 tons of supplies, 86 specialised canine teams and more than 2,741 members of search, rescue and technical support personnel, who are already integrated with our teams to respond jointly to the emergency," Rodriguez said.
She added that the international personnel are working alongside Venezuelan authorities in ongoing search, rescue and relief operations in areas affected by the twin earthquakes.
He added that 3,238 people have been injured, while 3,142 families have been displaced after losing their homes.
Rescue teams continue to search for survivors as the critical rescue window narrows, with operations being hindered by a shortage of heavy equipment and persistent aftershocks.
Since the twin earthquakes--measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude--struck Venezuela on Wednesday, the country has experienced multiple aftershocks and smaller tremors, complicating ongoing rescue and relief efforts.
Earlier today, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) detected an earthquake of magnitude 5.6 off the coast of Venezuela that impacted the waters off the coast of Aragua.
According to CNN, earthquakes are recorded using a logarithmic magnitude scale, where each whole-number increase represents roughly 32 times more energy release.
This means the second quake in Venezuela, measured at magnitude 7.5, released significantly more energy than the first 7.2-magnitude tremor, which struck about 40 seconds earlier.
