Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes rises past 6,000

The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela in late June killed 6,125 people, according to Venezuela's National Assembly Chief.

The updated figure comes weeks after the twin 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude quakes struck on 24 June, causing nearly 200 buildings to collapse, mostly in the worst-hit coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas.

The previous death toll stood at 5,546, while almost 17,000 people were injured in the tremors.

Rescue teams and family members have continued to sift through the rubble in search of survivors since the earthquakes struck.

Local media have reported that La Guaira Governor José Alejandro Terán said there were still around 1,400 people missing after the disaster.

The government has not confirmed how many people are missing, but some projections have put the figure as high as 10,000.

In addition to the 190 destroyed buildings, authorities have classified 6,433 structures as "high-risk", while another 9,866 have been designated as "restricted housing" to underline the dangers for residents.

Almost 24,000 people in La Guaira and Caracas are living in makeshift shelters following the earthquakes.

Last week, Venezuelan politicians unanimously approved a law that makes it easier to rent properties.

The measure, which aims to help people displaced by the earthquakes, must be enacted by interim leader Delcy Rodríguez to become law.

"We are estimating around 400,000 homes that could benefit from this law," said Ms Rodríguez.

Ms Rodríguez previously pledged to provide 4,000 homes to quake victims by the end of the year, with the Venezuelan Government expecting that number to exceed 10,000 in 2027.