Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 2,954

The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela last month has risen to 2,954, while 16,592 people are injured, the Communication and Information Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the ministry, 6,462 people have so far been rescued in the wake of the quakes, which affected 856 buildings, with 190 structures collapsed.

The statement said as many as 3,281 international rescue workers were deployed in the quake-hit area, while Caracas positioned 29,567 personnel for relief efforts.

It added that rescue teams remain deployed in the hardest-hit areas to ensure public safety and support ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts.

According to the US Geological Survey, on June 24, two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck the South American nation, 39 seconds apart.

The ministry said that so far there have been 942 aftershocks.