Venezuela Quakes Kill at Least 2,645 as Rescue Efforts Continue

Overview

• Two powerful earthquakes on June 24 produced widespread collapse in La Guaira and damage in Caracas and nearby towns, leaving rescue teams working through days of aftershocks and rubble.
• The government’s latest official tally put the confirmed death toll at 2,645 with more than 12,000 injured while United Nations agencies and independent counts warn tens of thousands remain unlocated or displaced.
• Volunteer rescuers carried out much of the initial search-and-rescue because of shortages of heavy machinery and supplies, and international teams from over two dozen countries joined operations as chances of finding survivors declined.
• Interim president Delcy Rodríguez defended the decision to militarize affected zones, denied reports of mass graves, and said forensic teams are identifying victims while the government set up a $200 million reconstruction fund with international credit offers.
• Public anger is rising: surveys show majorities disapprove of the official response and calls for new elections are growing, and aid groups warn crowded shelters, damaged health services and limited clean water could cause bigger public-health and social problems.