Thousands of people have been left homeless by the flooding and mudslides in Venezuela.

The government says more than 33,000 people have been moved to temporary shelters.

The torrential rain has also badly damaged Venezuela's infrastructure.

A state of emergency has been declared in the states of Miranda, Vargas and Falcon, as well as the capital.

Much of the devastation has occurred in parts of the capital, Caracas, where landslides have swept away houses built on steep hillsides.

President Hugo Chavez has called on people living in high-risk areas to move into temporary shelters.