Venezuela has been struck by two powerful earthquakes that have killed at least 235 people and injured more than 1,500, with rescuers racing against time to pull survivors from collapsed buildings near the capital, Caracas.
The first tremor, measuring magnitude 7.2, was followed seconds later by a stronger 7.5 quake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Both quakes occurred at shallow depths, intensifying the level of destruction across affected regions.
Emergency teams have been deployed across Caracas and the coastal city of La Guaira, where desperate cries for help were reported from beneath the rubble of collapsed structures.
Authorities said hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed, leaving many residents homeless and forcing others to sleep outdoors amid fears of aftershocks.
Officials warned that the death toll is expected to rise further as search operations continue, with many people still unaccounted for.
The disaster struck during a national holiday, meaning more residents were at home at the time of the quakes, increasing the scale of casualties.
International aid has begun to arrive, with several countries pledging support, while the United States has announced assistance worth millions of dollars along with deployment of rescue teams and military support assets.
Experts noted that Venezuela sits on a major tectonic boundary, making it highly vulnerable to seismic activity, while early estimates suggest the disaster could become one of the deadliest in recent years.
