BOGOTA / Anadolu

Venezuelan authorities announced Tuesday that the death toll from the earthquake has risen to 5,278 and the number of injured to 16,740.

President of the Venezuelan National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez said in a post on the American platform X that the death toll increased by 70 people compared to previous statistics.

Local media reported 1,405 aftershocks since the double earthquake.

In a related context, the Venezuelan government, during a ceremony held in the capital Caracas and chaired by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, handed over the first batch of homes built for the affected, benefiting more than 240 families.

Rodríguez affirmed that the government will continue to deliver housing to the affected on a monthly basis, noting that 4,000 housing units will be completed by the end of the year, and that the government targets more than 10,000 units during 2027.

The United States Geological Survey previously announced on June 24 last year the occurrence of two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, separated by 39 seconds.

For its part, the United Nations Development Programme estimated on June 26 last year the direct material damage from the two earthquakes at about $6.7 billion.