Venezuela earthquake: UN seeks $296 million

The United Nations launched an urgent appeal Wednesday for $296 million for Venezuela earthquake relief after the government said the death toll had risen to 3,685 and nearly 17,000 people were injured.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the plan aimed to reach 1.3 million people in urgent socioeconomic need over six months.

Fletcher said the Venezuela response had already received $300 million, including $115 million before the earthquake, leaving a $627 million funding gap.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto told the UN meeting that countries holding frozen Venezuelan state funds should begin releasing them for recovery work. He referred to gold held by the United Kingdom and finances frozen by the United States, and said the funds had been blocked because of “illegal sanctions.”

The United States has lifted some economic sanctions against Venezuela for four months to support relief operations.

Nearly two weeks after the 7.3- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, international rescue teams were ending efforts to find survivors while families continued searching ruins for relatives.