The race to find survivors in Venezuela continues

Search and rescue operations continued across eastern Caracas on Thursday as emergency crews, volunteers and relatives searched for survivors following two powerful earthquakes that devastated parts of Venezuela.

Heavy machinery worked through piles of concrete while volunteers formed human chains to remove debris by hand from collapsed buildings in Los Palos Grandes.

One of the worst-hit sites was the 14-storey Petunia I residential tower, which local reports said collapsed floor by floor before being reduced to a compact pile of rubble. At least 17 residents were rescued from the building.

Families remained gathered near the scene, hoping for news of loved ones still trapped beneath the debris.

"We are waiting for a friend of mine who lived in that building, and they still have not managed to get him out with his daughter," said Alejandro Castillo.

He appealed for support for families who lost everything in the disaster.

"We have to join hands and help those people who were left on the street," he said.

Marisol Rojas, who survived one of the collapses, recalled the moment the building began to fail.

"We saw how the building was falling, how it compressed. A slab fell on me from up here. It hit me, and all I told them was, 'Run!'" she said.

Authorities urged residents not to return to damaged buildings until engineers completed structural inspections.

According to the latest official figures released by Venezuelan authorities, at least 235 people have been killed, more than 4,300 injured and 157 remain missing. Around 200 people are also believed to still be trapped beneath the rubble across the affected areas.