The death toll from twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela in June has risen to more than 6,300, the National Assembly speaker Jorge Rodriguez announced Monday, an increase of nearly 200 over the previous count.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes on June 24 levelled roughly 190 buildings and damaged hundreds more, mostly in the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas. Authorities have catalogued nearly 9,600 additional structures as high-risk and restricted access to more than 12,000 homes. Nearly 24,000 displaced residents are living in temporary camps in Caracas and La Guaira, while only 23 percent of rubble has been cleared. La Guaira's governor, José Alejandro Terán, said last week that about 1,400 people remain missing.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez pledged in mid-July that the government would deliver 4,000 apartments to affected families by December, with over 10,000 more promised next year. Officials estimate the country will ultimately need around 25,000 new housing units.