Venezuela earthquake death toll crosses 5,000 as IMF grants $346 million funds for reconstruction
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Rescuers and relatives of victims search for bodies amid debris of a collapsed building in Caraballeda, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on July 16, 2026. Photograph: (AFP)
Venezuela’s earthquake death toll has crossed 5,000. The IMF released $346 million for reconstruction after restoring ties, as nearly 20,000 survivors remain displaced in overcrowded camps.
The death toll in the deadly twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month has crossed the 5,000 mark, the officials said on Friday (Jul 17). In a statement, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez also announced that the country drew $346 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for reconstruction. On June 24, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within a minute of each other, resulting in widespread destruction and flattening neighbourhoods.
National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez posted on Telegram that the disaster claimed the lives of 5,069 people, with most casualties reported in the coastal region. According to authorities, 16,740 people were injured, with parliamentary leader earlier stating that most had already been discharged from the hospital.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the release of funds. In a post on X, she said that the institution “worked with key counterparts to help Venezuela access its own resources at the Fund for urgent humanitarian needs.” Georgieva added that the funds were drawn “from their reserve tranche.”
The deadly disaster has pushed about 20,000 people in overcrowded camps, many of which lack proper sanitation system and water supplies, after their homes were lost in the quake. In the worst-hit La Guaira state, several apartment blocks have collapsed.
Venezuela holds 3.568 billion Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), worth about $5.1 billion. Access to these funds had been blocked since the IMF did not recognize Nicolas Maduro as the country's legitimate president.
The IMF and the World Bank announced in April that they would restore relations with Venezuela following the US-backed military intervention that ousted Maduro in January. The two institutions had suspended ties with Caracas in 2019.
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