Death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes rises above 5,000 as IMF releases funds

Venezuela has confirmed that the twin earthquakes which struck the country on June 24 claimed 5,069 lives, while authorities announced they had accessed $346 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to support reconstruction efforts following the disaster.

The two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck within a minute of each other on June 24, devastating the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas.

National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez said in a post on Telegram that 5,069 people had died, with the majority of fatalities recorded in the coastal region.

The number of injured remains 16,740, unchanged from previous reports. Rodriguez had earlier said that most of those injured had already been discharged from hospital.

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Government announces IMF funding

Later on Friday, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced that Venezuela had drawn $346 million from the IMF to help finance earthquake reconstruction.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the release of the funds in a post on X, saying the institution "worked with key counterparts to help Venezuela access its own resources at the Fund for urgent humanitarian needs", adding that the funds had been drawn "from their reserve tranche".

Thousands remain displaced

Around 20,000 people who lost their homes in the earthquakes are living in overcrowded camps, many of which lack access to water supplies and proper sanitation systems.

Venezuela holds 3.568 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) at the IMF, equivalent to approximately $5.1 billion. Those resources had previously been blocked because the institution did not recognise Nicolas Maduro as president.

In April, the IMF and the World Bank announced they were resuming relations with Venezuela after the United States overthrew Maduro in a military incursion in January. Relations with the institutions had remained frozen since 2019.