Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 589 people

Two earthquakes measuring 7.1 and 7.5 struck Venezuela within about a minute of each other on Wednesday. The quakes rank among the strongest to hit the country in more than a century. Buildings collapsed and structures flattened across affected areas.

Casualties and rescue efforts At least 589 people died and 4,300 others were injured, according to reports. A defender for second division side Marítimo de La Guaira posted on Instagram that his wife died while shielding their one-year-old daughter, who survived and was rescued. The wife's body was pulled from the rubble.

Personal accounts "You'll always be our favorite heroine, Mommy," the defender wrote in Spanish. " The defender also posted a message to his daughter, saying she needs to help him heal and promising to make her the happiest girl in the world. He shared an image of the toddler with a black eye and a bandage on her arm.