The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 3,535, while more than 16,700 people have been injured, according to updated official figures released on Monday.
The powerful back-to-back earthquakes flattened entire neighbourhoods in La Guaira state, north of the capital, Caracas, leaving widespread destruction and forcing thousands from their homes.
Authorities said 16,740 people were injured and more than 17,000 residents have been left homeless by the disaster.
Although the government has not released an official figure for those still missing beneath the rubble, the United Nations estimates that as many as 50,000 people could remain unaccounted for.
Many survivors are now living in temporary shelters set up on streets, in public parks and in car parks as emergency relief operations continue.
With hopes of finding more survivors fading, rescue efforts are gradually giving way to recovery operations, including clearing debris and burying victims. International search-and-rescue teams have also begun leaving Venezuela as their missions conclude.
Families continue searching for missing loved ones in the hope of recovering their bodies for proper burial.
On Sunday, authorities began burying dozens of unidentified victims in a mass grave at La Esperanza cemetery in La Guaira. Long rows of simple white crosses, each marked with the date of June 24, 2026, now stand as a sombre reminder of one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters.
