The death toll from two consecutive earthquakes in Venezuela has surpassed 5,000, while the International Monetary Fund has approved emergency aid amounting to 346 million U.S. dollars.
Foreign news agencies reported on 18 July 2026 that the death toll from two powerful consecutive earthquakes along Venezuela's Caribbean coast, which occurred in June, has risen to over 5,000. Meanwhile, authorities continue recovering bodies from beneath the rubble.
Jorge Rodríguez, President of the National Assembly, stated last Friday (local time) that the death toll from the earthquakes is 5,069, with most fatalities in Lagunillas state, the hardest hit area. Additionally, there are 16,740 injured, though most have been discharged from hospitals.
The death toll continues to rise as rescue teams clear collapsed buildings and reach previously inaccessible areas amid the chaos following the disaster.
The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude and occurring less than a minute apart on 24 June, caused devastating damage to Lagunillas state, located on the northern coast near Caracas. The area includes the main international airport, a large cargo port, and hundreds of apartment buildings.
Venezuelan authorities revealed that since the earthquakes, more than 1,300 aftershocks have been recorded. Approximately 20,000 people remain displaced, many living in overcrowded shelters lacking sanitation and clean water.
Meanwhile, Delcy Rodríguez, Acting President of Venezuela, announced that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved emergency aid of 346 million U.S. dollars for Venezuela.
Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, confirmed that this amount was drawn from Venezuela's reserve tranche quota deposited with the fund, to address urgent humanitarian needs.
The IMF and World Bank recently restored relations with Venezuela in April after the U.S. ousted former President Nicolás Maduro in January and had severed ties since 2019 due to non-recognition of Maduro's government.
At the same time, public outrage over the government's earthquake response continues to grow. Survivors and critics accuse officials of slow reaction while many people remain trapped under collapsed buildings.
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Source:aljazeera