Venezuelan Boy Rescued After Six Days Under Rubble
On Tuesday, rescue teams in Venezuela managed to save a 2-year-old boy who had been trapped beneath debris for six days following last week’s catastrophic earthquake. This was the only reported rescue during the sixth day of search operations.
According to Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a group of Jordanian emergency workers located the child in a collapsed building in La Guaira, which was hit hardest by the earthquake.
The boy, identified as Cleaver Moran, had endured the harrowing experience of being trapped under the rubble for nearly a week before the rescue, as documented by Rodríguez.
After the rescue, Moran was promptly taken to a hospital for necessary medical treatment.
International Aid Efforts Amidst the Crisis
In light of the disaster, the Trump administration has committed $150 million in aid and sent Navy warships to assist the situation in Venezuela.
National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodriguez expressed cautious optimism during a recent televised address, stating that officials are still hopeful about finding more survivors. “We must keep our hope alive that there are still people under the rubble,” he remarked, while acknowledging the difficult circumstances.
Since the earthquakes, which registered magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 last Wednesday, rescue operations have been ongoing, yet the situation remains dire.
Casualties and Continuing Search Efforts
The confirmed death toll has increased to at least 1,943, with over 10,500 reported injuries, as of Tuesday. Just a day earlier, the count was lower, at about 1,719.
The rescue of Moran brought a small glimmer of hope amidst the widespread devastation affecting the country.
Interestingly, a video released by the US State Department showed a separate team successfully rescuing a living infant from under the same rubble, highlighting ongoing efforts to save lives in the area.
The 9-month-old infant was rescued along with his mother, and both were reported to have only suffered minor injuries. “Hope still endures despite the daunting circumstances,” noted the State Department in a social media post.
A shipment from UNICEF arrived in Venezuela also on Tuesday, containing 47 tons of humanitarian aid, which is vital for those affected by the earthquake.
On top of these efforts, Urban Search and Rescue teams from a few U.S. states—including Virginia, California, and Florida—have been dispatched to assist local operations, bringing with them significant resources for search and rescue missions.
These rescue teams consist of an intricate mix of personnel, including firefighters and doctors, and come equipped with advanced rescue technology to aid in the ongoing recovery efforts.
