Caracas: Venezuelan authorities announced on Saturday that the death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck the country on June 24 has risen to 4,333.
According to Qatar News Agency, Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodrguez stated that more than 19,000 people displaced by the disaster are currently living in temporary shelters. The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck 39 seconds apart, primarily impacting northern Venezuela.
Last Wednesday, the United Nations issued an urgent appeal to raise nearly $300 million for relief operations in Venezuela. Meanwhile, the country's acting president, Delcy Rodrguez, urged the release of Venezuela's frozen assets abroad to aid in the recovery process. Rodrguez also mentioned her request to King Charles III to release approximately 30 tonnes of Venezuelan gold frozen under British sanctions.
Authorities in Caracas had previously reported that thousands were missing, as entire high-rise residential complexes collapsed and were reduced to rubble within seconds.