Death toll from Venezuela quakes rises to 3,535 as thousands remain displaced

CARACAS, July 6 - The death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes has risen to 3,535, authorities said on Monday, while nearly 18,000 people remain homeless more than a week after the disaster struck the capital and nearby coastal areas.

Top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said the latest official tally showed 16,740 people injured and 17,854 left without housing after the June 24 quakes, which measured magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 and struck within seconds of each other.

The new figures underscore the scale of the disaster in and around Caracas and La Guaira, the coastal area hit hardest, as criticism mounts over the government's response.

Venezuela's social vice presidency said at least 12,800 people were staying in 80 shelters across Caracas and La Guaira.

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has defended the government's handling of the disaster amid growing frustration from Venezuelans who have described the response as late and inadequate.

She said security forces were deployed immediately after the quakes and announced the creation of a new military unit to help tackle future emergencies and disasters.

In La Guaira on Monday, Reuters witnesses saw trucks and forensic workers transporting coffins, while machinery dug trenches in an open area marked by white crosses, where authorities were burying bodies.

Photos published by Spanish newspaper El Pais showed some graves marked with names and others with numbers.

The United Nations said it was continuing to ramp up aid operations in coordination with the government in Caracas.

"Some search and rescue teams remain deployed in the affected areas, while other specialized engineering teams and medical support continue to arrive," U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Monday.

Dujarric said a comprehensive needs assessment that will form the basis of an updated response plan was nearly complete, though he did not say when it would be released. U.N. agencies are already providing services in three camps and assessing other sites for expanded support. REUTERS