Death Toll from Venezuelan Earthquakes Rises to 1,943

Jorge Rodríguez, the President of Venezuela's National Assembly, announced on Tuesday that the official death toll from the dual earthquakes that struck the nation on June 24 has risen to 1,943, with 10,571 people injured. This update was delivered during a national broadcast.

Rodríguez detailed that the revised figures result from a comprehensive analysis involving drone surveys, census data, hospital records, and firsthand accounts from both families and rescuers. "Based on analysis from drones, aerial surveys, existing census data, and interviews with individuals we have treated in hospitals, as well as testimonials from both families and rescuers, we estimate that around 30,000 individuals were present in the Caraballeda and Catia La Mar areas during the earthquakes," he stated.

According to these estimates, 6,461 individuals were rescued by official teams, international brigades, and volunteers. An additional 13,400 managed to evacuate either on their own or with the assistance of relatives, culminating in a total of 19,861 identified survivors.

Despite these figures, there remains a significant number of individuals whose whereabouts are unknown, further contributing to the uncertainty surrounding the true scale of the disaster.

Rodríguez also reported that there are 15,866 people displaced by the disaster. He noted that 14 shelters are operational in the state of La Guaira, with another 55 established in Caracas, Miranda, and other affected regions, providing care for both hospitalized individuals and evacuees, totaling 28,380 people receiving assistance.

Since June 24, 689 aftershocks have been recorded, although their strength has gradually decreased, according to Rodríguez.

The revised death toll marks an increase from the previous day's government report of 1,719 fatalities and 5,034 injuries.

International organizations have provided higher estimates than the official figures. The United Nations has suggested that up to 50,000 people may be missing, while the citizen platform Encuéntralos has reported between 55,000 and 60,000 unaccounted for. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates a 42% chance that the final death toll could range from 10,000 to 100,000.

Since the day following the earthquakes, the official death toll has consistently increased: 164 fatalities on June 25, 920 on June 26, 1,430 on June 27, 1,450 on June 28, 1,719 on June 29, and reaching 1,943 as of Tuesday.

Among those affected are at least 32 Cubans who remain missing in the state of La Guaira, primarily in Caraballeda, Catia La Mar, and Los Corales. Authorities have also confirmed the death of a Cuban family of six, whose bodies were recovered on June 28. Additionally, young Vanessa Martínez was confirmed dead, while her brother Dayan Martínez remains missing.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has estimated that the direct damages from the earthquakes amount to about $6.7 billion, which is equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's gross domestic product, with total economic impact potentially ranging between $10.05 billion and $20.1 billion.