Venezuela quake death toll exceeds 5,000: Govt

CARACAS: The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month killed over 5,000 people, National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez posted on Telegram Friday.

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck within a minute of each other on June 24, decimating the coastal state of La Guaira located north of Caracas.

The disasters killed 5,069 people, Rodriguez said, with most casualties occurring in the coastal region.

The number of people injured remains unchanged at 16,740, with the parliamentary leader earlier stating that most had already been discharged from hospital.

Some 20,000 people made homeless by the quakes are living in overcrowded camps, many of which lack water supplies and proper sanitation systems.