The death toll from last month’s back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 5,069, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Friday.
In a post on X, Rodriguez said 16,740 people had been injured in the powerful earthquakes.
He said authorities had provided assistance to 128,324 families and established 106 temporary camps accommodating 21,235 people, while 17,907 people remained without permanent housing.
According to Rodriguez, the earthquakes damaged 856 buildings, including 190 that collapsed.
Speaking on state television channel VTV, Rodriguez said Venezuela had resources frozen abroad that could help finance reconstruction efforts.
“Venezuela has resources blocked around the world that could address this process of reconstruction,” he said, adding that additional funding was also needed for employment and education programmes.
The United States, the European Union and several other countries have imposed sanctions on Venezuela over the past two decades, citing allegations of anti-democratic practices and claims that the country has become a hub for drug trafficking.