CARACAS – Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said Thursday that the government responded immediately to the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the country on June 24, while providing an updated official death toll and outlining the scale of the ongoing emergency response.
Speaking during a press conference with international media, Rodríguez described the disaster as unprecedented.
"What happened on June 24 in Venezuela was a tragedy on a scale we never imagined, although we knew such a phenomenon was possible," she said. "We did not wait one day, two days or three days. We activated our response immediately."
Her remarks come amid criticism from some residents and observers who have alleged that emergency assistance was slow to reach certain affected communities.
According to the latest official figures released by the Venezuelan government, the earthquakes have claimed 2,595 lives, injured 12,400 people, and left 12,841 people displaced.
Rodríguez said more than 19,000 military personnel have been deployed in La Guaira state, one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquakes, to support search-and-rescue operations and humanitarian relief efforts.
She also noted that the government established a national Emergency High Command within hours of the disaster to coordinate the country's response.
In addition, the vice president said Venezuela has received expressions of support from 72 countries, many of which offered assistance. She added that the government specifically requested the deployment of international search-and-rescue teams to assist in locating survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Rescue and recovery operations continue in several affected regions as authorities and international humanitarian organizations work to provide emergency shelter, medical care and essential supplies to thousands of victims.
The June 24 earthquakes rank among the deadliest natural disasters in Venezuela's recent history, with emergency officials warning that recovery and reconstruction efforts are expected to continue for months.