Venezuelan floods:

Over 30,000 hit

Venezuela: Venezuelan Government has set up 259 shelters for 33,400 people who have lost their homes to torrential rainfall and flooding in the past week, Venezuelan Defense Minister Carlos Mata said Wednesday.

More than 20 people have died and thousands left homeless by the rain and flooding since last Thursday, Vice President Elias Jaua said Tuesday.

In the northern states of Vargas, Miranda and the Capital District, including most of Caracas, emergencies have been declared, and thee states of Nueva Esparta, Carabobo and Aragua also have been hit.

Mata explained that 164 collection centers were opened to guarantee the supply of food, water and other resources for those in government shelters.

In addition, nearly 10,500 soldiers have been mobilized to the flooded areas, the defense minister said.

The torrential rainfall has caused mudslides and thousands of houses have been damaged. Caracas, Prensa Latina