Venezuela earthquake death toll exceeds 5,000 as IMF releases funds
Venezuela has reported a death toll of over 5,000 following twin earthquakes that struck the coastal state of La Guaira in June 2026. The government has secured $346 million in emergency funding from the IMF to assist with reconstruction and humanitarian relief efforts.
Why it matters
The disaster highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the resumption of financial cooperation between the nation and international institutions following recent political shifts.
The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month killed over 5,000 people, officials said, while announcing they drew hundreds of millions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for reconstruction.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck within a minute of each other on June 24, decimating the coastal state of La Guaira, located north of Caracas.
The disasters killed 5,069 people, National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez posted on Telegram, with most casualties occurring in the coastal region.
The number of people injured remains unchanged at 16,740, with the parliamentary leader earlier stating that most had already been discharged from the hospital.
Later on Friday (July 17, 2026), Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said the country tapped $346 million from the IMF for earthquake reconstruction.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in