(VENEZUELA) — The death toll in Venezuela has climbed to at least 3,685 in the wake of the two powerful earthquakes that devastated the country, Venezuelan lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said.
The pair of earthquakes struck on June 24, knocking down buildings, sending residents fleeing for safety and trapping some survivors under the rubble for days. Thousands were injured and more than 26,000 people were impacted, including those who lost homes or saw serious damage to their homes, officials said.
Nine Americans are among the dead, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on Fox News on Tuesday.
John Barrett, Chargé d’Affaires of the American embassy in Caracas, said Tuesday that the U.S. was “assisting the Venezuelans in terms of storing and caring for the deceased remains that are being pulled out of the rubble.”
“The government reports that they have accounted and identified the vast majority of bodies received, but they’re continuing to go through that process, and as I understand it, are collecting DNA fingerprints, dental records from those bodies that they’re in the process of still waiting to identify in coordination with family members,” he said.
Barrett said the four U.S. urban search and rescue teams sent to Venezuela have “completed their mission and returned home.”
“We are deeply grateful for their service. These highly skilled men and women helped save six lives and brought hope to countless families during Venezuela’s darkest hours,” he said. “The Department of State Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) remains on the ground, working alongside partners to deliver food, water, medical care, shelter, and other critical assistance to affected communities.”
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ABC News’ Will Gretsky and Shannon Kingston contributed to this report.
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