Death Toll in Venezuela Earthquakes Nears 3,000

The death toll from the two major earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 2,954. Thousands of people have been left injured or homeless. The Venezuelan Ministry of Information announced on social media that the death toll from the earthquakes had reached 2,954. The statement said that 16,592 people were injured, and approximately 16,000 people were left homeless, while rescue teams have so far rescued 6,462 people alive. The US Geological Survey (USGS) had announced that two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 occurred in Venezuela on June 24, 39 seconds apart. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which assessed the destruction caused by the earthquakes, announced on June 26 that the direct physical damage was approximately $6.7 billion. The authorities had announced that the number of people reported missing by their relatives after the earthquakes had exceeded 68,000 as of June 27.