3-year-old survives nearly a week buried after Venezuela earthquake

A 3-year-old boy was rescued from the rubble in the capital Caracas, six days after twin earthquakes killed nearly 2,000 people in Venezuela.

A video released on 30/6 showed rescue workers searching through the rubble, cheering upon discovering the boy alive. The Jordan Civil Defense Agency, involved in the rescue efforts, stated that the child received first aid and was immediately transported to a hospital.

By the time he was found, the boy had been buried for six days under a collapsed building in Caracas. According to the Jordan rescue team, his vital signs were stable. Local authorities were also informed of the situation.

The moment rescue workers extracted the boy from a collapsed building in Caracas, Venezuela on 30/6. Video: X/CONtexto

Experts consider the first 72 hours after an earthquake the golden period for rescuing survivors trapped under rubble. Finding the boy alive after six days was described as "a miracle" by the AFP news agency.

Two earthquakes, measuring 7,2 and 7,5 magnitude, struck nearly one minute apart on 24/6, becoming one of the most severe earthquake disasters in Latin America. NASA estimates that approximately 59,000 structures were destroyed or damaged, with the widespread devastation visible from space.

Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced on 30/6 that 1,943 people died and 10,571 were injured due to the disaster. Rescue forces saved 6,461 people after the earthquakes.

According to Rodriguez, the actual number of people who escaped the rubble could be close to 20,000, including thousands of victims who "self-rescued or were aided by family and friends" in La Guaira state.