Death toll in Venezuela quakes rises past 4,000

The death toll in Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes has topped 4,000, the government said Friday.

At least 4,118 people were killed and 16,740 injured in the back-to-back June 24 quakes, which flattened entire districts in the coastal state of La Guaira, Venezuelan parliament chief Jorge Rodriguez wrote on Telegram.

Thousands more are listed as missing.

The stronger 7.5 magnitude quake -- the biggest in Venezuela in over a century -- struck 39 seconds after the first 7.2 magnitude shock, flattening entire high-rise apartment blocks to layers of rubble.

Although rescue teams have abandoned their search for survivors, family members continue to search the ruins for their loved ones, in the hopes of giving them a dignified burial.

On Friday, a 3.0 magnitude tremor in central Caracas caused momentary panic and led to buildings being evacuated.

The scale of the recovery effort facing Venezuela, where state services have been severely degraded by a prolonged economic crisis, is gargantuan.

The United Nations on Wednesday issued an urgent appeal for nearly $300 million towards earthquake relief operations.

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez has called for the release of frozen assets held abroad to be used towards the recovery.

On Wednesday she said she asked King Charles III to release about 30 tons of Venezuelan gold frozen under UK sanctions.

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© Agence France-Presse