Venezuelans searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings and rescue teams raced to northern areas rocked by a pair of powerful earthquakes that officials say killed around 235 people and left at least 4,300 people injured. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit Wednesday evening were among the strongest in Venezuela in more than a century. The quakes could be felt throughout the region. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez says authorities were shifting rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas. The natural disaster is the latest challenge for Rodríguez, who took office in January after the U.S. seized then-president Nicolas Maduro in a surprise military operation.
People in Venezuela and abroad are desperately searching for loved ones after two powerful earthquakes struck Wednesday evening. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes caused widespread damage and were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century. Hundreds have been killed and thousands injured. Thousands are without cell service. Social media and online registries have become crucial for finding missing persons, with independent registries reporting up to 51,000 missing. The United Nations has urged Venezuela to lift social media restrictions to aid the search. Many Venezuelans abroad are struggling to get information about their families.