The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela last week has risen to 2,595, while 12,400 people have been injured, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference, Rodriguez said the updated figures were released only after a comprehensive verification process, with authorities carefully cross-checking casualty reports before confirming the official toll.
She added that five people initially listed as dead were later found alive after their identities were verified through Venezuela’s fingerprint-based subsidised fuel system.
“We don’t want to give numbers that are not rigorously proven,” Rodriguez said.
The revised figures come a week after 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, causing widespread destruction.