AN AID worker for Islamic Relief has described scenes of destruction in Venezuela as the death toll from twin earthquakes rose to 1,430 on Sunday.

Rescuers are still searching for survivors after the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes struck within a minute of each other in the north of the country on Wednesday. Nearly 70,000 people have been reported “unaccounted for” by their families.

Omar Khalifa, who is distributing aid to survivors as part of the charity’s emergency response team, said: “There are countless families spending nights in the open by the side of the road.

“Many don’t even have tents, food, water or toilets. Tens of thousands more people are still missing and rescue teams are desperately searching through mountains of rubble for any survivors.

“Many homes are completely destroyed, but even families whose homes are still standing told me they can’t return yet as they are terrified of the constant tremors and aftershocks.

“Families who live in damaged tower blocks are particularly vulnerable as more tremors could make them collapse at any moment.

“The earthquakes hit just a minute apart, so people escaped at a moment’s notice with only the clothes they were wearing. I’ve spoken to some people who left vital medication at home and now don’t have anything with them.”

National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez told state TV on Sunday that deaths had ‌risen to ‌1,430, with another 3,200 ​people injured ⁠and 3,100 ​left homeless ​by the ​disaster.

Many citizens in La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas, have been using shovels and their bare hands to dig through the debris of collapsed buildings.