The death toll from the earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24 has now risen to 6,125, according to the latest official weekly casualty update released on Monday by the country’s parliamentary speaker, Jorge Rodríguez. The previous toll stood at 5,546 deaths, with the number of victims continuing to climb as search operations press on in the hardest-hit areas.
Read also: Venezuela earthquakes: Nearly 5,400 dead, over 10,000 injured — search operations continue in the rubble
ATENCIÓN: pic.twitter.com/QQWl7XQsPj
— Jorge Rodríguez (@jorgerpsuv) August 3, 2026
Despite weeks having passed since the disaster, dozens of people are still desperately searching for the remains of their loved ones beneath the rubble in La Guaira state, north of the capital Caracas, which bore the brunt of the destruction.
The two tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck just 39 seconds apart and caused the complete collapse of at least 190 buildings, according to authorities.
La Guaira state governor José Alejandro Terán told reporters that nearly 1,400 people remain unaccounted for. However, diplomatic sources and expert assessments in the immediate aftermath of the disaster suggested the number of missing was closer to 10,000. The United Nations had warned that the figure could reach as high as 50,000. Demolition and clearance operations are still ongoing in La Guaira state, where the highest concentration of casualties and the worst structural damage have been recorded.
According to the government, in addition to the 190 buildings that collapsed entirely, another 856 sustained severe damage. Thousands more structures have been deemed too dangerous to inhabit or re-enter. Nearly 24,000 earthquake survivors continue to live in temporary shelters across the capital and La Guaira state.
On Friday, Venezuela’s parliament passed legislation aimed at expanding the supply of rental housing, so that thousands of people who lost their homes can find new accommodation.
Acting president Delcy Rodríguez stated earlier that the new law — which notably eliminates a regulation that had long discouraged property rentals — would enable “mutually beneficial” relationships between landlords and tenants. “We estimate that nearly 400,000 properties” could be made available for rent in the coming period thanks to this legislation, said the acting head of state, who governs under mounting pressure from the United States.
Acting president Rodríguez has pledged that 4,000 new homes will be delivered to earthquake survivors before the end of the year, with a further 10,000 units to follow in 2027. She also confirmed plans to propose subsidized financing options through financial institutions to help survivors purchase new homes on preferential terms. The double earthquake of June was the most destructive seismic event in Venezuela’s recent history.
