"The number of Venezuelans who have died as a direct result of the terrible earthquakes on June 24th is 4,333," Rodríguez declared, confirming the discovery of 215 new bodies in the last few hours.
The impact of the powerful earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, has been particularly concentrated in the capital, Caracas, and the neighboring state of La Guaira. In these areas, the situation is critical: "camps of families who lost their homes are spreading in stadiums, squares, and on sidewalks." According to official data, in these makeshift settlements, more than 19,000 displaced people are now living, depending on the assistance of national and foreign volunteers for medical care and food.
Despite the high number of confirmed deaths, the main concern lies with the people whose whereabouts are still unknown. Although Rodríguez avoided specifying an official figure, the UN estimates that the number of missing persons is around 50,000. Of the bodies recovered so far, the parliamentary leader indicated that 315 people have not been identified, representing "7% of the total deceased."
Relentless search among the rubble Fearing families' concerns about the start of indiscriminate cleaning, the Government has assured that the body location efforts will not be suspended. "The process of debris removal is being done slowly," explained Rodríguez, who maintains hope of finding survivors in specific areas. The earthquakes, which occurred within an interval of less than a minute, are classified as some of the most severe in recent Latin American history.
The material devastation is absolute in the coastal area, where more than 180 buildings completely collapsed and hundreds more were severely damaged. Given this situation, the Government estimates that approximately 25,000 homes will need to be built. Although the delivery of houses from the Housing Mission program has been announced, Jorge Rodríguez admitted that "significant resources will be required to build more or help with renting."
The country's reconstruction has opened a new international front. The interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has formally requested King Charles III of England to release Venezuela's gold reserves that are "retained" in the Bank of England to address this catastrophe. While this financial conflict is being resolved, the Government has designated 40 plots in safe plains in La Guaira to start building new homes away from the coastal danger.