Heavy rains cause devastating floods in Venezuela

Severe flooding caused by torrential rains hit a mountainous coastal region of Venezuela's La Guaira state on Friday, leaving a town's streets drowned in mud.

The El Cojo river burst its banks in the town of Macuto causing devastating damage and leaving a huge clean-up operation.

Footage showed the water pouring through a gap in a damaged wall and filling the parking lot of a residential block.

Willian Cartaya told the Associated Press those who lived in the lower floors of the tower had fled to higher levels to escape the flooding.

Felipe Corro said the flooding brought back memories of a disaster in 1999 when a large part of the city was buried under a landslide, killing thousands.

No deaths or missing persons have been reported from the flooding as of Friday.

Torrential rains have affected large portions of Venezuela in recent weeks.