Death toll after Venezuela earthquake rises to 4,333

July 11 (UPI) -- The death toll from the earthquakes that devastated Venezuela last month has risen to more than 4,300 people, a government official said Saturday.

The June 24 twin quakes in La Guaira -- the first a 7.2-magnitude shock, followed seconds later by another reaching magnitude 7.5 -- were the biggest the country has seen in more than a century.

Jorge Rodriguez, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, on Saturday said at least 4,333 people were killed and more than 16,740 were injured.

"Currently, more than 31,837 troops and 30,197 volunteers remain deployed across the country to ensure the welfare of the affected population," said Rodriguez, the brother of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, in a social media post.

"As part of this effort, we have ensured medical assistance to 31,193 patients and ensured the distribution of more than 9,766 tons of food," Rodriguez said.

Some 18,437 people are currently living in makeshift camps for survivors, while more than 17,900 remain unhoused.

The United Nations this week launched an urgent appeal to raise $296 million in relief funding to assist as many as 1.3 million people.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher visited La Guaira on Tuesday and met with a group of mothers whose children remained missing.

"Those mothers asked me last night 'is help coming?'" Fletcher said in a statement.

"We have to show that we will answer the question from those mothers: help is coming," Fletcher added. "Let's demonstrate that global solidarity is as strong as ever and that we will stay the course."