According to Reuters, Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, announced at a press conference on July 2 that the confirmed death toll from the series of earthquakes that struck on June 24 has risen to 2,595.
More than 12,000 people have been injured, and 189 buildings have completely collapsed. A total of 6,462 individuals have been rescued.
The government stated that search and rescue operations are still ongoing, but the official number of missing persons has not been disclosed. However, an unofficial online list of missing persons had reported nearly 60,000 cases at one point. As of that evening, approximately 38,500 people remain unaccounted for.
In La Guaira state, which suffered the most damage, dissatisfaction with the government's response is growing. Residents claim that authorities did not act quickly enough in the initial rescue efforts and left some areas unattended. International relief organizations have also pointed out delays in food and medical aid, as well as a lack of heavy machinery needed for debris removal.
Rodríguez denied the criticism of the government's slow response, stating, "The government did not wait a day or two to act immediately," and noted that 4,000 personnel were dispatched to the scene right after the earthquake, with the number of deployed personnel now increased to 19,000.
Efforts are also underway to secure recovery funds. Rodríguez mentioned that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have offered support and loans for earthquake recovery. Venezuela is in the process of establishing a reconstruction fund of $200 million (approximately 3.07 trillion won) with the IMF, which will be allocated to companies responsible for rebuilding destroyed homes.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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