The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela in late June killed 6,125 people, the latest figures revealed by top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez on Monday showed.
The updated numbers come weeks after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes hit on June 24, unleashing massive damage on people and property, and triggering national emergencies. Unofficial estimates say between 17,000 and 29,500 people are still unaccounted for.
The previous death toll was 5,546.
What was the scale of the damage?
The quake led to nearly 200 buildings collapsing, mostly in the coastal state of La Guaira, which was hit the worst.
Rodríguez said that clean-up operations continued, clearing almost 350,000 tons of debris, which is about 16.5% of the 2.1 million tons of total wreckage estimated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Authorities classified over 16,200 structures as unsafe, pushing many to leave. Thousands of people are now living in makeshift shelters in La Guaira and Caracas.
On Friday, lawmakers in the country unanimously approved a law that makes it easier to rent properties, a measure aimed at helping displaced victims. It repeals an anti-rental legislation passed by former leftist administrations.
Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez came to power after US forces kidnapped her predecessor Nicolas Maduro in January and took him to New York, where he is facing trial. She has defended the government amid criticism that officials did not do enough to help quake victims, including people trapped in the rubble.
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Edited by: Rana Taha
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