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The recent double earthquakes in Venezuela resulted in over 5,000 fatalities, according to officials. They also announced that the country secured hundreds of millions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for rebuilding efforts.
The quakes, with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, occurred within a minute of each other on June 24, devastating the coastal region of La Guaira, just north of Caracas.
According to Telegram updates from Jorge Rodriguez, head of the National Assembly, the death toll reached 5,069, with most casualties concentrated in the coastal areas.
The injury count remains steady at 16,740, though Rodriguez earlier indicated most of those injured have been released from hospitals.
Later that day, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed that Venezuela accessed $346 million from the IMF to aid in earthquake recovery.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva verified the fund’s release of these resources on X (formerly Twitter), explaining that the IMF coordinated with key partners to help Venezuela utilize its own funds for urgent humanitarian needs, drawing from its reserve tranche.
Approximately 20,000 individuals displaced by the quakes are residing in overcrowded camps, many lacking access to clean water and sanitation.
Venezuela holds 3.568 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) at the IMF, roughly equivalent to $5.1 billion, which had been previously inaccessible due to the IMF not recognizing Nicolas Maduro as the country’s legitimate president.
In April, the IMF and the World Bank announced the restoration of diplomatic and financial relations with Venezuela, following the U.S.-led military ousting of Maduro in January. Relations had been frozen since 2019.
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