Venezuela quake death toll rises to 3,889

The death toll from Venezuela's June 24 twin earthquakes has risen to at least 3,889, according to a government report published Thursday.

The report, posted on Telegram by National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez, said nearly 17,000 people were injured in the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes, while almost 18,000 people lost their homes. The toll rose from 3,811 to 3,889 on Thursday.

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez called Wednesday for the release of Venezuelan funds frozen abroad to help the country cope with the disaster. The United Nations is trying to raise about $300 million for recovery, and Venezuela is negotiating with the International Monetary Fund to unblock financial assets, according to IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack.

In the hard-hit coastal area of La Guaira, more than 800 buildings were damaged and 190 collapsed.

Rescue teams were abandoning the search for survivors two weeks after the quakes, but some families continued looking for missing relatives. Ciro Ocando told AFP he believed he had located the place where his 13-year-old and 18-year-old sons were buried under rubble in Playa Grande in La Guaira.