Venezuela quake death toll tops 5,000 as IMF releases emergency aid

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP, AP and Reuters, reports that the confirmed death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela’s Caribbean coast on June 24 has risen above 5,000. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Friday that 5,119 people had been confirmed dead and 16,740 injured, with most of the fatalities in La Guaira, the coastal state north of Caracas that suffered the heaviest damage.

The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes hit within about a minute of each other, badly damaging an area that includes Venezuela’s main international airport, a key seaport and many apartment blocks. Authorities say more than 1,300 aftershocks have followed. Al Jazeera reports that about 20,000 people remain displaced, including many in crowded shelters where access to clean water and sanitation is unreliable.

The disaster update came as Interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced $346m in emergency financing from the International Monetary Fund. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the funds were being released from Venezuela’s reserve tranche to support urgent humanitarian needs. Al Jazeera notes that the IMF and World Bank restored relations with Venezuela in April after years of suspended ties linked to the disputed recognition of Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Questions over the official response continue to shape the aftermath. Reuters, as summarized by Al Jazeera, reported that early rescue efforts were affected by delayed military deployment orders, limited rescue equipment and unclear command structures, citing military and diplomatic sources. Jorge Rodriguez has denied that the authorities acted slowly, saying criticism of the response was politically or media-driven.