By Deborah Nnamdi
The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 2,954, authorities confirmed on Saturday, as emergency responders begin scaling back search-and-rescue operations more than a week after the disaster.
According to official figures, the number of fatalities increased by more than 300 since Friday, while over 16,000 people have sustained injuries in the aftermath of the June 24 earthquakes. Thousands of residents are still unaccounted for, raising fears that the death toll could continue to rise.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, are among the deadliest natural disasters to hit Latin America in recent years. The powerful tremors caused widespread destruction, reducing entire neighborhoods to rubble and displacing thousands of families.
Authorities said at least 190 buildings collapsed during the disaster, with the worst devastation recorded in the coastal state of La Guaira, north of the capital, Caracas. More than 16,000 people have been left homeless, forcing many survivors to seek shelter in temporary camps or with relatives.
Ten days after the earthquakes struck, rescue teams began winding down efforts to locate survivors, shifting their focus to recovering bodies from the debris and supporting relief operations for displaced communities.
Although the critical period for finding survivors in earthquake disasters typically ends within 72 hours, emergency officials reported that a handful of people were miraculously rescued alive earlier this week, offering moments of hope amid the tragedy.
Families continue to gather at collapsed buildings and temporary morgues, anxiously awaiting news of missing loved ones as authorities work to identify victims and clear the extensive rubble.
The Venezuelan government, alongside local and international humanitarian agencies, has continued to coordinate emergency relief efforts, providing medical assistance, temporary shelter, food, and other essential supplies to affected communities.
The scale of the destruction has prompted renewed calls for increased humanitarian support as recovery and reconstruction efforts are expected to take months, if not years.
