Two powerful earthquakes, occurring within less than a minute, have caused an extraordinary catastrophe in Venezuela. As rescue teams are still searching for survivors under the rubble, the death toll continues to rise.
The death toll has risen to over 589, while around 3,000 others have been reported injured, according to acting president Delcy Rodríguez.
Earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday evening, less than a minute apart. The second was the strongest to hit the country since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The worst-hit areas are Caracas and La Guaira, where many buildings have collapsed and searches have continued throughout the night. In some areas, residents and local teams have heard people calling for help from the rubble.
Meanwhile, international rescue teams have written to Venezuela.
The situation in hospitals is critical. A doctor in La Guaira told the BBC that the two main hospitals in the area are "completely overwhelmed", with a severe shortage of medicines and medical equipment. According to him, the health structures do not have the capacity to cope with the large number of injured, while many people are still trapped under the rubble.
Other doctors have warned that the tragedy is happening in a country that has been facing deep problems and shortages in the healthcare system for years, which makes the situation even more difficult.
BBC Verify reported extensive damage in coastal cities, even more than 160 kilometers away. Both earthquakes were relatively shallow, less than 30 kilometers below the surface, which could significantly increase the strength of the tremors and damage at the surface.
In La Guaira, satellite images show collapsed multi-story buildings, roads blocked by rubble and entire areas severely damaged.
Residents have described chaotic scenes, a lack of communication and desperate attempts to contact family members.
A witness, who was with his family in La Guaira when the quakes struck, told the BBC that the tremors were "extremely strong" and that the streets were littered with rubble. He said that in some areas there were no immediate emergency teams and that residents were trying to pull people out of collapsed buildings themselves.
In a country already facing political uncertainty, economic crisis and weakened infrastructure, earthquakes are a serious blow. For now, the priority remains searching for survivors, treating the injured and delivering aid to the most affected areas.
Sources: Guardian, BBC
