Caracas: The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month has risen to 5,119, according to an official government report, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced emergency financial support of USD 346 million to assist recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez on Friday said the country had accessed funds from its own resources at the IMF, which would be directed towards helping affected communities, rebuilding infrastructure and restoring essential public services.
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"Following the devastating double earthquake that struck our country, Venezuela initially accessed US$346 million from its own resources at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will be allocated to the recovery and reconstruction process in the wake of the tragedy," Rodriguez said in a statement posted on X.
She added that the funds would support families affected by the disaster, including assistance related to housing, infrastructure and basic services.
"I would like to thank the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, for her support and commitment, as well as all the institutions that made this important step possible. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect our people and drive the country's recovery forward," she said.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva also confirmed the release of emergency funds, expressing solidarity with those affected by the earthquakes.
"My heart is with the people of Venezuela as they recover from the devastating earthquakes. We worked with key counterparts to help Venezuela access its own resources at the Fund for urgent humanitarian needs and the authorities have now drawn US$346M from their reserve tranche," Georgieva said in a post on X.
According to the official report released by Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, the disaster has left 16,740 people injured, while 6,462 people have been rescued. More than 128,000 families have received assistance, with 107 temporary camps set up to shelter over 21,000 people.
The report stated that 17,907 people have been left without homes, with 856 buildings affected and 190 buildings collapsed. Authorities have also reported distributing over 10 million food supplies and more than 32 million litres of water as part of relief operations.
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The government said 2,278 international rescuers and nearly 31,000 deployed personnel are involved in emergency response operations, supported by over 31,000 volunteers.
The twin earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks have caused widespread destruction across affected areas, with authorities continuing rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. The official report recorded 1,350 aftershocks following the main seismic events.
Last month, twin earthquakes - measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude - struck Venezuela in the north, causing widespread destruction and chaos.
