Death toll in Venezuela earthquake rises again to more than 4,900

In an update released on Thursday, Rodriguez said 6,462 people have been rescued alive from the rubble following extensive search-and-rescue operations. The earthquakes also caused widespread destruction, damaging 856 buildings, including 190 structures that collapsed, with the hardest-hit areas located in La Guaira state.

The disaster has displaced thousands of residents, leaving 17,907 people homeless. Authorities said 21,210 survivors are currently being housed in 107 temporary shelters, while more than 128,000 families have received emergency assistance from the government.

Officials have also recorded 1,308 aftershocks since the initial disaster. The two main earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck just 39 seconds apart.

To address growing public health concerns, the government has deployed more than 1,200 healthcare workers to La Guaira to help prevent disease outbreaks in temporary camps.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Health is coordinating with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, expand vaccination efforts, and improve sanitation conditions for displaced residents.

Earlier, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced that the death toll from the powerful earthquakes had increased to 4,829.