[Young Journalist Hojun Lee] The scale of devastation caused by the series of powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last month continues to grow. With the officially confirmed death toll already exceeding 5,000, concerns are mounting that the anticipated arrival of El Niño, a climate phenomenon associated with extreme weather, could further worsen living conditions for thousands of displaced residents staying in temporary shelters.

According to AFP on July 18, Jorge Rodríguez, President of Venezuela's National Assembly, announced that the officially confirmed death toll had reached 5,069 as of July 17 (local time). The number of injured remained unchanged at 16,740, and Rodríguez stated that most of the injured have already been discharged from hospitals. 

The disaster began on June 24, when two powerful earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela in quick succession. The coastal state of La Guaira, located just north of the capital, Caracas, suffered the heaviest damage and was left in ruins. Authorities reported that at least 300 victims remain unidentified, and officials are collecting DNA samples before burying the bodies in a public cemetery.

Efforts to determine the exact number of missing people have been complicated by the lack of official government statistics. While the Venezuelan government has not released an official figure, opposition groups estimate that around 30,000 people are missing. The United Nations estimated the number of missing at 50,000 just three days after the earthquakes, on June 27. Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey previously warned that the final death toll could range anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000.

Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned that El Niño could bring an even greater disaster to those displaced by the earthquakes. Lucas Gejis Acrat, the IOM's Disaster Risk Reduction Coordinator in Venezuela, said that discussions are underway within the United Nations regarding the possibility of a very strong El Niño developing. He warned that, with many residents already homeless, an El Niño event could severely impact Venezuela.

The unusually warm ocean surface temperatures associated with El Niño are expected to increase the likelihood of extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has also stated that there is a 63% chance that current conditions will develop into a "Super El Niño," defined as tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures exceeding the seasonal average by more than 2°C.

▶원문 기사: 베네수엘라 지진 사망자 5000명 넘어서…'슈퍼 엘니뇨' 우려까지 (이코노미스트, 2026. 7. 18)
 

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