Torrential rains in Venezuela have killed 17 people, closed airports, blocked roads and destroyed thousands of homes in the past few days, sparking regional declarations of disaster, officials said Tuesday. President Hugo Chavez was being urged by several governors to declare a national state of emergency, with fears mounting that the death toll could rise because of the number of people listed as missing.
Official figures said 56,000 people had been affected by the tropical rains and 11,000 homes were destroyed.