Venezuela is facing a major recovery effort after twin earthquakes last month killed more than 5,000 people and left thousands injured, according to officials.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on June 24, severely damaging the coastal state of La Guaira, north of the capital, Caracas.
National Assembly chief, Jorge Rodriguez, said the disaster claimed 5,069 lives, with the majority of deaths recorded in the coastal region. The number of injured victims remains at 16,740, although officials said many have already been discharged from hospitals.
As the country begins reconstruction efforts, interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, announced that Venezuela had accessed 346 million dollars from the International Monetary Fund for earthquake recovery.
IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, confirmed the release of the funds, saying the money came from Venezuela’s reserve tranche and would support urgent humanitarian needs. The earthquakes left about 20,000 people homeless, many of whom are now living in overcrowded camps facing challenges including limited access to water and sanitation.
Venezuela has about 3.568 billion Special Drawing Rights with the IMF, valued at roughly 5.1 billion dollars, which had previously been inaccessible due to political disputes over recognition of Nicolas Maduro’s government.
The IMF and World Bank announced in April that they were restoring engagement with Venezuela after relations with the country had been suspended since 2019.
