Death toll from Venezuela’s earthquakes rises to 3,342

Officials say more than 16,000 injured and 17,000 homeless following twin quakes

A Venezuelan flag pictured among rubble. — A Venezuelan flag flutters as rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building in the aftermath of the June 24 earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela, on Sunday. Officials say the death toll has hit 3,342. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)

The death toll from Venezuela’s twin quakes has risen to ‌3,342, according to numbers released by the Venezuelan information ministry on Sunday.

The new tally also puts the number of injured at 16,470, while the ⁠number ⁠of ‌homeless has risen to 17,345.

Earlier in the day, in a speech ⁠commemorating Venezuela’s 215th independence day, interim President Delcy Rodriguez ‌defended the government’s actions following the quakes amid growing frustration over what many have called a ⁠delayed and inadequate response to the ⁠disaster.

Rodriguez said she ⁠deployed ⁠security forces immediately and announced the creation of ⁠a new military unit to help deal with emergencies and disasters. — Thomson Reuters