Father-of-two Nelson Torrealba had just gotten into his car outside his home in La Guaira in northern Venezuela when he heard a loud bang and felt the ground shake violently beneath him.
"Nothing was left when I turned around," he told the BBC.
Today marks a week since the historic earthquakes shook the country. Around 2,300 people have been confirmed dead and more than 11,000 injured.
Many were missing
At the same time, around 50,000 people are still missing, the UN says, according to AFP.
Among many Venezuelans, shock and grief have now turned to anger after authorities announced that search efforts are ending in some areas.
An estimated 22 bodies remain buried under the rubble of the building where Nelson Torrealba lived. He is one of many relatives now digging with their bare hands in the hope of finding signs of life from their loved ones.
Several countries, including Sweden, have assisted Venezuela with aid efforts.
Acute crisis
The devastated country was already in a deep economic crisis with barely functioning infrastructure before the disaster. The powerful earthquakes mark an extremely difficult time for the country - just six months after its leader Nicolás Maduro was overthrown by the United States.
The earthquake has destroyed about 60,000 buildings and left many people homeless. Survivors are now struggling to get food and water, AFP reports.
Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has declared seven days of national mourning to honor the victims of the earthquake.
"The soul of Venezuela has been torn to pieces by the human losses caused by the devastating earthquakes," Rodríguez said in a written statement.
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