Venezuela earthquakes death toll surpasses 5,000

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A woman holds a painting of the Virgin Mary as she accompanies a Catholic priest supporting people searching for the remains of relatives in the rubble of residential buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A Catholic priest stands in the rubble of residential buildings collapsed during the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) — A woman holds a painting of the Virgin Mary as she accompanies a Catholic priest supporting people searching for the remains of relatives in the rubble of residential buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

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6:24 AM on Saturday, July 18

The Associated Press

CARACAS (AP) — The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that shook Venezuela last month rose to 5,069 late on Friday, local authorities said.

The interim government of President Delcy Rodriguez added in a statement that the number of injured remains unchanged at 16,740, as in the past 11 days.

Ongoing recovery and debris-clearing operations have led to the increase in the death toll, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, the hardest hit by the quakes close to the Caribbean Sea. A total of 1,331 aftershocks had been recorded by Friday.

Venezuela's government says 856 buildings are damaged and 190 collapsed completely since the 7.2 and 7.5 quakes on June 24. Hundreds of other types of structures, such as bridges and roads, were also affected.

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