Venezuela earthquake leaves 1.8 million in need as death toll rises

Nearly 1.8 million people, including around 680,000 children, require humanitarian assistance following the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to a statement by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

UNICEF's representative in Venezuela, Manuel Rodriguez Pumarol, noted that hospitals are operating at the limit of their capacity.

“Thousands of children don’t have reliable access to safe water, and many schools have been damaged. UNICEF is working with the Government of Venezuela and partners to scale up support for children and families, and continued funding will be critical to sustaining that response in the weeks ahead,” he added.

In Caracas alone, 432 schools — more than one-third of all educational institutions in the region — were damaged, while surviving school buildings are being used as temporary shelters for families left homeless.

Meanwhile, the scale of destruction continues to grow. Jorge Rodriguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, announced that at least 774 buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed as a result of the disaster. According to the Ministry of Information and Communication, more than 2,500 buildings and infrastructure facilities have been affected, with 189 structures collapsing entirely.

Venezuela was hit by two powerful earthquakes on June 24, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey. The quakes were followed by 512 aftershocks. Venezuelan authorities said the death toll has risen to 1,450, while more than 3,200 injured people remain hospitalised.

The disaster caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and hospitals, and forced the closure of the country’s main airport.

By Jeyhun Aghazada