The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has reached 4,829, according to the latest official toll announced by Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodríguez. The number of injured stands at 16,740, while 17,907 people have been left homeless.
The previous official report cited 4,734 deaths, with the death toll continuing to rise as search operations and damage assessments continue.
Authorities have not released an official number of people missing. In the first 24 hours after the deadly earthquakes, the UN had estimated that the number of missing people could be as high as 50,000.
The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, occurred just 39 seconds apart and caused widespread destruction in northern Venezuela.
The capital, Caracas, and its surrounding areas were particularly hard hit, as was the neighboring state of La Guaira, where thousands of earthquake victims continue to live in makeshift camps.
