By JUAN PABLO ARRAEZ and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press
With the window for finding survivors shrinking fast, Venezuelans combed through more ruins of buildings toppled by last week's devastating back-to-back earthquakes. Attention also turned to the country's humanitarian crisis that could persist for years. Relief organizations say the first 72 hours after a natural disaster is the most crucial time period for rescues, though survival can be extended if people have access to food and water. Five days after the twin quakes, questions loomed about whether the cash-strapped government will be able to coordinate the effort needed to care for thousands of people who have been left homeless. The death toll stood at more than 1,700 people.
By REGINA GARCIA CANO and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press
Updated
The United States hit Venezuela with a "large-scale strike" and said its president, Nicolás Maduro, had been captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington. It was an extraordinary nighttime operation announced by President Donald Trump on social media hours after the attack. Multiple explosions rang out and low-flying aircraft swept through Caracas as Maduro's government immediately accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations. The government called it an "imperialist attack" and urged citizens to take to the streets. It was not immediately clear who was running the country, and Maduro's whereabouts were not immediately known.
