Death toll in Venezuela quakes tops 1,400 as rescuers race to pull out survivors

The death toll from Venezuela's earthquakes is now 1,430, with 3,238 injured, according to lawmaker Jorge Rodríguez. He describes the incident as "the most disastrous event this republic has suffered in the last 123 years."

Rescuers are racing to pull out survivors as the 72-hour window nears its end. A newborn baby is among the survivors rescued from the rubble - watch the emotional moment. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez says she is hopeful that teams will find survivors.

The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, hit less than a minute apart while most were home for a national holiday.

Top lawmaker Jorge Rodríguez says the earthquakes are "the most disastrous event this republic has suffered in the last 123 years".

As well as providing updated death and injury tolls, he says 3,142 families are currently in shelters.

There have been 430 subsequent aftershocks following the two earthquakes on Wednesday, he adds.

It has been more than 60 hours since Venezuela was struck by twin earthquakes, and the race to find survivors is more urgent than ever.

In La Guaira: Rodríguez said 60% of electricity services had been restored in the worst-affected state.

Number of missing unclear: UN aid chief Tom Fletcher told AFP it could be more than 50,000. A website, external - which lets Venezuelans self-report their missing loved ones - has received reports of about 68,000 people missing at the time of writing. About 13,000 are reportedly located - but because the website relies on people actively reporting people as missing and found, the true figure is uncertain.

At least 20 international rescue teams deployed, UN system shows

At least 20 international search and rescue groups have been sent to Venezuela, according to the UN's Global Disaster Awareness and Coordination System.

This includes nine teams classified as "heavy", eight as "medium" and three as "light".

Countries that have sent teams include Switzerland, the US, the Netherlands, France, Qatar, the Czech Republic, Jordan, the UK, Spain, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Turkey, Italy and Lithuania.

Thirty-two other teams are currently mobilizing, the UN says, bringing the total to 52 teams - and over 2,265 rescuers. It adds that the total number of rescue dogs currently being sent is 140.

Specialized teams have already started arriving and are working with other personnel on the ground, it says.

Venezuela's Simón Bolívar International Airport was damaged in the earthquake but is open to charter flights, the UN says.

Civilians helping rescue effort with 'no sophisticated equipment', local says

One man in La Guaira tells BBC Mundo "there is no sophisticated equipment" to carry out rescue operations.

Civilians have joined the search and rescue efforts and are calling for a stronger presence from the state, contributor to BBC Mundo Nicole Kloster says. A young person can be seen using a drone to try to locate people.

Meanwhile, some families have returned to damaged buildings to try to recover belongings. "We are trying to recover... clothes and documents," a woman with a child says, adding that she lives on the 15th floor.

"We are sleeping at the airport, in the car... we have nothing. It is very sad," she says. (Source: BBC News)