Death Toll from Venezuela Earthquake Rises to 2,595, Over 12,000 Injured

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24 has reached 2,595, Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced on July 2 (local time).

She reported that the number of injured has exceeded 12,000, and 6,462 people have been rescued.

She added that 189 buildings have completely collapsed, and the government has not yet concluded search and rescue operations.

The official count of missing persons has not been released.

However, as of the evening of July 2, an unofficial website tracking earthquake missing persons reported approximately 38,500 people listed as missing.

Interim President Rodriguez stated that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have offered support and loans for Venezuela's earthquake recovery efforts.

She explained that Venezuela is currently establishing a reconstruction fund worth 200 million dollars (approximately 306.6 billion won) in cooperation with the IMF, and that these funds will be distributed to contractors to rebuild destroyed homes.

Residents of La Guaira state, which suffered the most severe damage from the earthquake, have expressed frustration, claiming that the government failed to respond quickly to search and rescue operations in the early stages and left the site neglected.

International aid organizations have also criticized the Venezuelan government's slow disaster response, pointing to delays in delivering relief supplies such as food and medical goods to the affected areas, as well as a persistent shortage of heavy equipment to clear debris.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.