July 5 (Reuters): The death toll from Venezuela's twin quakes ​has risen to 3,342, according to numbers released by the Venezuelan information ministry on ​Sunday.

The new tally ​also puts the number of ⁠injured at 16,470 while ​the number of homeless ​has risen to 17,345.

[1/6]Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building in the aftermath of the June 24 earthquakes in Caraballeda, La Guaira, Venezuela, July 5, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria Purchase Licensing Rights

Earlier in the day, in a speech commemorating ​Venezuela's 215th independence ​day, interim President Delcy Rodriguez defended the ⁠government's actions following the quakes amid growing frustration over what many have called a ​delayed ​and ⁠inadequate response to the disaster.

Rodriguez said she ​deployed security forces ​immediately ⁠and announced the creation of a new military unit ⁠to ​help deal ​with emergencies and disasters.

Photo from Reuters