Nearly 7 Million at Risk as Venezuela Earthquake Crisis Deepens, UN Warns
The United Nations has raised fresh alarm over the scale of Venezuela’s earthquake disaster, estimating that nearly 6.8 million people could be affected as the country battles one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent years.
The twin earthquakes, which struck on June 24 with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, tore through several communities, causing widespread destruction in the coastal state of La Guaira and other parts of the country.
The latest official figures put the death toll at 920, while more than 50,000 people remain missing, with search-and-rescue teams continuing efforts to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said preliminary damage assessments indicate that about two million people in Caracas alone may have been impacted by the disaster.
Using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence technology developed in collaboration with Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, the agency found that approximately 31.5 percent of buildings in Catia La Mar suffered damage, allowing emergency responders to better target relief operations.
Humanitarian agencies are racing to provide emergency shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and protection services to thousands of displaced families, warning that the number of people forced from their homes is expected to rise.
The IOM noted that Venezuela’s existing humanitarian challenges have made the emergency even more severe and appealed to the international community for increased support to strengthen relief efforts.
UN officials stressed that rapid intervention during the first days after the disaster will be crucial to saving lives and helping affected communities begin rebuilding their lives.
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