The death toll from Venezuela's earthquakes has risen to 3,889, the country’s National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Thursday, adding another 78 deaths to Wednesday’s numbers.
Meanwhile, the number of injured stands at 16,740, and the number of homeless at 17,907, with people harboring in more than 80 temporary shelters.
Two earthquakes, one of magnitude 7.2 and the other of magnitude 7.5, struck the country’s capital, Caracas, nearby coastal La Guaira, and their surroundings on June 24.
Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez renewed calls on Wednesday for international sanctions to be lifted to assist recovery efforts following increasingly stringent sanctions imposed by the US, the European Union, and other countries over the last two decades.
"Venezuela has resources blocked around the world that could address this process of reconstruction," she said on state television channel VTV.
She added that funds were also needed for employment and education programs.
This comes amid growing frustration among Venezuelans, who have described the government’s response to the disaster as belated and inadequate. The claims were met with defiance from Rodriguez, who claimed that security forces were deployed
Although many sanctions remain in place, the US relieved some targeting Venezuela’s oil sector following the capture of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Additionally, following the earthquakes, Washington authorized earthquake relief that would have otherwise been banned by sanctions.
A deteriorated health system
Meanwhile, the head of the Pan American Health Organization warned on Thursday that health risks, including interruptions to regular medical care, crowded shelters, and lack of access to clean water, are now widespread.
"In the coming weeks, the greatest health risks may stem not only from injuries caused by the earthquakes, but also from disruptions to health services, overcrowded conditions, deficiencies in water and sanitation, and reduced access to vaccination and routine healthcare," PAHO director Jarbas Barbosa said.
Venezuela's health system has deteriorated significantly over years of economic crisis, contributing to a lack of immediate care after the quake, said Ciro Ugarte, PAHO's director for health emergencies.
The migration of healthcare professionals in recent years - part of broader waves of people leaving the country - also left Venezuela in a difficult position.
"The shortage of essential services in the immediate aftermath was critical, and facilities that had not been intended for trauma care or emergency patient treatment had to be adapted for that purpose throughout Venezuela," Ugarte said.
Care has improved with international assistance, personnel from other regions, and field hospitals, he said.