As Venezuela death toll rises, survivor recounts days beneath the rubble

The official death toll has climbed to nearly 3,000 as survivors and volunteer rescuers describe the devastation left by the earthquakes and criticise what they say was a slow government response.

Juan Zapata had just eaten dinner in his fifth-floor apartment overlooking the Caribbean and was about to take a shower when he was thrown across the room by the force of the twin earthquakes that ripped across Venezuela’s coast 10 days ago.