Venezuela quake death toll exceeds 5,000 as IMF releases funds

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, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said the country tapped $346 million from the IMF for earthquake reconstruction.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the release of funds, saying on X that 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."

Some 20,000 people made homeless by the quakes are living in overcrowded camps, many of which lack water supplies and proper sanitation systems.

Venezuela holds 3.568 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) at the Fund, equivalent to approximately $5.1 billion, which were previously blocked because the institution did not recognise Nicolas Maduro as president.

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