Venezuelans search the rubble after powerful twin earthquakes kill scores

Rescue teams and residents in Venezuela are clawing through collapsed buildings after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, leaving a rising death toll and a national emergency. Authorities said the tremors caused major damage in Caracas and along coastal areas, with hospitals taking in hundreds of injured people and emergency crews racing to reach those still trapped.

How the disaster unfolded

The quakes struck late on Wednesday, when back-to-back tremors shook northern Venezuela and were felt across the wider region. Officials said the impact disrupted power, transport and airport operations, schools were shut and several public buildings were turned into shelters.

International offers of aid quickly followed as the scale of the damage became clearer, with neighbouring countries and relief organisations pledging support.

The race to find survivors

The central effort now is the urgent search for survivors. Families are waiting near the rubble, responders are working through unstable debris, and the government faces pressure to coordinate relief in a country already strained by years of economic and political crisis.

What happens next

Continued search operations, the threat of aftershocks and access to reliable communications will shape the next phase of the response, as authorities try to reach isolated areas and assess the full extent of the destruction.