Officials say the death toll could go up into the thousands on Thursday, after two major earthquakes struck Venezuela.
The powerful tremors brought down buildings, trapped people beneath debris and were followed by several aftershocks.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Wednesday evening about 160 kilometers west of the capital. Less than a minute later, an even stronger magnitude 7.5 quake hit the same region.
The disaster struck a region that was already dealing with economic hardship, and its aging infrastructure only made it harder for rescue crews to respond.
Rescue teams spent the night digging through collapsed buildings in search of survivors. But not every community saw the same response; some residents said they waited hours for help and ended up relying on themselves and neighbors instead.
Officials said the disaster had already claimed at least 188 lives, while another 200 people were still believed to be trapped under the rubble.
More than 1,500 people were reported injured, and at least 250 buildings were either damaged or completely destroyed, according to Jorge Rodriguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly.
La Guaira state, just outside Caracas, was among the hardest-hit areas.
President Rodriguez said the region had essentially become a disaster zone and that the government would be bringing in heavy machinery with help from private companies to speed up the rescue efforts.
One woman in La Guaira said her 19-year-old son was trapped beneath the rubble of their apartment building, but rescuers didn’t have the equipment needed to reach him.
To make matters worse, she was still mourning the death of her father just days earlier.
In the coastal city of La Guaira, many residents said there were very few rescue crews searching on the ground, meaning neighbors and volunteers had to search through the debris themselves, often digging with their bare hands.
Survivors described losing almost everything.
One upholstery shop owner said both his business and home had been destroyed, leaving his family with nowhere to go.
Elsewhere across La Guaira, people searched for anything they could find to eat or drink.
Several stores were looted in the process.
The earthquakes also damaged the region’s main airport, forcing it to remain closed on Thursday.
Videos shared by witnesses captured people fleeing in panic as ceilings collapsed and parts of buildings gave way.
The quakes struck during a public holiday, when many people were at home. As the ground shook, residents across Caracas and nearby coastal communities rushed into the streets while buildings around them crumbled.
One Caracas resident said the destruction looked like something out of a horror movie. Families climbed over piles of debris trying to escape.
Communities closer to the epicenter were also badly affected. In the seaside town of Morón, homes collapsed and both water and electricity were knocked out.
Local officials said at least eight people, including three children, were killed.
