Child Rescued After Six Days in Venezuela Earthquake Rubble
A three-year-old boy was rescued alive from the debris six days following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela, according to a Jordanian rescue team.
Video footage captured rescuers celebrating as the child, identified as Klieber Morán by Venezuela's interim president, was extracted from the wreckage in La Guaira state.
Delcy Rodríguez, a Venezuelan official, described the rescue as a symbol of hope amid the tragedy.
Humanitarian Crisis and Urgent Needs
The United Nations has warned that tens of thousands of people urgently require food and shelter in the aftermath of the quakes.
The death toll from the earthquakes, which registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 last week, has climbed to 1,943, with over 10,000 injured and many more unaccounted for.
An initial NASA satellite assessment estimated that approximately 58,870 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the tremors.
Medical Care and Rescue Efforts
The Jordanian civil defence reported that Klieber received first aid and was transported to a hospital where his vital signs were stable. Venezuelan Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez confirmed the child was being treated in Caracas.
This rescue occurred well beyond the critical three-day window when survival chances for those trapped under rubble are highest.
La Guaira is among the hardest-hit regions, with many residents conducting rescue operations independently.
Conditions in La Guaira
The UN refugee agency reported on Tuesday that food shortages are widespread, essential services have collapsed, and communications are largely disrupted in La Guaira.
"Community tensions are rising as access to assistance remains constrained," the UNHCR stated on its website.
Daniela Armas, an 18-year-old vendor injured during the quakes, told AFP that while some supplies are being distributed, competition for food is intense.
"Some supplies were being distributed 'but sometimes people nearly kill each other for food... it's like a cockfight.'"
The UNHCR indicated it requires an initial $15 million to expand protection, core relief items, and temporary shelter support for 30,000 earthquake-affected individuals over six months.
Health Risks and International Response
The World Health Organization reported that health services are under "extreme pressure."
"There's an increased risk now of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria due to low vaccination coverage," said Christian Lindmeier.
Rodríguez emphasized that Klieber's rescue demonstrates ongoing hope for finding survivors and that both domestic and international teams continue to search through rubble. Shelters have been established in La Guaira and other affected states.
International rescue teams from the United States, Mexico, and numerous other countries are conducting searches with trained dogs and heavy equipment.
Some international aid has begun arriving. A UN spokesperson confirmed that a 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian supplies arrived on Tuesday, including emergency health kits for urgent medical care, supplies for safe childbirth, newborn care, and disease prevention.
Aftermath and Mourning
Venezuelans have started burying those recovered so far, while many await the remains of loved ones presumed dead.
At a makeshift morgue at La Guaira's port, Wilker Molalla told AFP he was waiting to identify the bodies of his sister, her children, and his brother's children.
"There were 11 people in my household," he said. "Only two of us survived because we were at work."
