- Adding to public anxiety, a magnitude 3 earthquake struck central Caracas on Friday, prompting residents to evacuate buildings, although no significant damage or casualties were immediately reported.
- Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has called for the release of Venezuelan assets frozen overseas to help finance the country’s recovery — approximately 30 tonnes of Venezuelan gold held in the United Kingdom under sanctions.
- Rodríguez said she has appealed to King Charles III to facilitate the release of the reserves to support reconstruction.
With rescue operations ending and thousands still unaccounted for, Venezuela is shifting its focus to recovery as the United Nations launches an urgent appeal for international assistance.
Venezuela is grappling with one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history after the death toll from last month’s twin earthquakes climbed to 4,118, with 16,740 people injured and thousands more still reported missing.
The latest figures were announced by National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, who said the two powerful earthquakes that struck on June 24 caused catastrophic destruction, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, where entire residential neighborhoods and high-rise apartment buildings were reduced to rubble.
The disaster unfolded within seconds as a 7.2-magnitude earthquake was followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude tremor, the strongest recorded in Venezuela in more than a century.
The successive quakes triggered widespread structural collapses, overwhelming emergency services and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
With hopes of finding more survivors fading, official search-and-rescue operations have now concluded. However, many families continue to sift through the debris in search of missing relatives, determined to recover the bodies of loved ones for a dignified burial.
The humanitarian crisis remains severe as the country, already weakened by years of economic hardship, struggles to respond to the scale of destruction. Relief agencies warn that damaged infrastructure, shortages of essential supplies and limited financial resources are hampering recovery efforts.
Adding to public anxiety, a magnitude 3 earthquake struck central Caracas on Friday, prompting residents to evacuate buildings, although no significant damage or casualties were immediately reported.
The United Nations has launched an emergency appeal seeking nearly $300 million to support humanitarian relief, emergency shelter, healthcare and reconstruction efforts.
Meanwhile, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has called for the release of Venezuelan assets frozen overseas to help finance the country’s recovery.
Among the assets is approximately 30 tonnes of Venezuelan gold held in the United Kingdom under sanctions.
Rodríguez said she has appealed to King Charles III to facilitate the release of the reserves to support reconstruction.
As Venezuela moves from emergency response to long-term recovery, authorities face the immense challenge of rebuilding shattered communities while providing assistance to thousands of families displaced by one of the country’s worst-ever natural disasters.
