The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to more than 2,000 as rescue teams continue to search for survivors.
Venezuela’s National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday said deaths had risen to 2,300, more than 11,000 people had been injured and almost 13,000 had been left homeless.
The United Nations estimates that at least 50,000 people are missing.
The US Geological Survey estimates that the earthquakes could have caused more than 10,000 deaths, which would make them among Latin America’s deadliest in the past century.
The Venezuelan government will create a $200 million reconstruction fund using International Monetary Fund resources to finance repairs to infrastructure, hospitals and housing, Ms Rodriguez said last week.
Officials are also discussing an additional fund to support victims, while public and private banks will activate credit lines for people who lost businesses or jobs.
A UN report estimated direct damage from the two earthquakes at about $6.7 billion
Source: The National
