The tragedy in Venezuela is worsening following the devastating double earthquake on June 24, as the official death toll has risen to 3,342, with 16,740 injured. Thousands of people remain homeless, while authorities are reluctant to announce the number of missing persons, even as the UN estimates that the figure could be as high as 50,000.

The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has been revised upward, according to a statement released by the government on Sunday.

“Official toll as of July 5: 3,342 dead, 16,740 injured,” the authorities reported.

The previous official tally, announced on Saturday, put the death toll at 2,954.

At the same time, no official estimate has been provided for the number of missing persons. The United Nations estimates that the number could reach 50,000, while other estimates put the figure at around 10,000.

More than 16,000 people have been left homeless, while hundreds of buildings have been completely destroyed.

Mass burials in La Guaira
At the La Esperanza cemetery in the city of La Guaira, which suffered the worst damage, more than 150 bodies of victims who have not yet been identified have already been buried.

Agence France-Presse reporters documented 159 individual graves for unidentified victims in two long rows, as well as another 95 graves of people who had been identified.

Meanwhile, crews with heavy machinery continue to dig new trenches to bury more victims.

Rodríguez Rejects Scenarios of a “Social Explosion”
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, who has faced criticism for her handling of the crisis, maintained that the country is not facing a risk of social unrest.

“I don’t understand how, during these moments of anguish for Venezuela, of national mourning (…), some people dare to plot social unrest. There will be no social unrest here. What we have here is the deep social solidarity of our people,” he said at an official ceremony marking the country’s Independence Day on July 5 at Fuerte Tuna, the military complex in Caracas that also houses the Ministry of Defense.

However, in areas that have been severely affected, residents are expressing their anger over the delay and lack of assistance from the authorities.

The two earthquakes
struck 39 seconds apart The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, occurred just 39 seconds apart and struck mainly the northern part of Venezuela.

In La Guaira, about 40 kilometers from Caracas, dozens of buildings were leveled. Thousands of earthquake victims remain on the streets or have found temporary shelter in parks.

Rescue workers and residents continue to search through the rubble for victims, while heavy machinery is demolishing buildings that have collapsed completely or partially.