could evacuate unharmed, everyone could leave the buildings unharmed,” he said. Orellana lives in the coastal city of La Guaira, not far from the capital of Caracas.

But not all were able to escape the destruction ushered in by the colossal quakes, which killed at least 164 people in the country, a toll that is expected to rise. Many, Orellana stressed, remain stuck beneath debris, or have so far gone unaccounted for.

“There are so many families that have been affected, they are still rescuing people, people that are trapped,” he said, adding: “People that are missing.”

The entire state of La Guaira has been declared a disaster zone, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said. It is home to one of the country’s largest seaports and Simon Bolivar International Airport, which serves the capital Caracas.

United Nations emergency relief chief Tom Fletcher described the earthquakes as “devastating” in a statement released shortly after the disaster hit.

“I’m in close contact with our team in Caracas to ensure full and urgent response, including search and rescue support and emergency relief for survivors,” he said. “International solidarity coming in. We’ll need all hands on deck.”