The death toll from two earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced on Saturday. Rodriguez also revealed that the distribution of housing to those affected will commence next week.
Unidentified Victims and Ongoing Rescue Efforts
Of the deceased, 315 remain unidentified, according to Rodriguez. The official tally of injured stands unchanged at 16,740, while 6,462 people have been rescued. Approximately 17,000 individuals have been left homeless.
Rodriguez stated that acting President Delcy Rodriguez will allocate the first 200 homes to those affected next week, though no further details were provided. Search operations continue, with Rodriguez emphasizing, "As long as there is life, there is hope. We still have one or two sites where the situation remains uncertain, active sites where we are searching for survivors."
Building Damage and Housing Needs
A total of 856 buildings were affected by the earthquakes, of which 190 either collapsed completely or suffered structural collapse. Preliminary government estimates indicate that 25,000 homes are needed to house the displaced.
Authorities have identified approximately 40 plots of land, totaling about 584,000 square meters, for housing projects in Osma and Chuspa. The government plans to utilize these sites to construct new homes for the affected population.
