At least 235 people have been killed and more than 4,300 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela just 39 seconds apart. The rare seismic 'doublet' devastated Caracas, LaGuaira and surrounding regions, leaving families waiting for news of missing relatives as rescue teams race to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the quakes measured magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, with the second tremor the strongest to strike the country in more than a century. Hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed, overwhelming emergency services and prompting a nationwide state of emergency.
