A three-year-old boy was rescued from the rubble nearly a week after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, officials confirmed Tuesday. Klieber Moran was pulled from debris by a Jordanian rescue team in La Guaira state, the area most severely affected by the tremors. He had been trapped for six days and is now receiving medical treatment in Caracas.
Venezuela experienced two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, which occurred less than a minute apart last week. The official death toll has risen to more than 1,900, though the United Nations has warned that fatalities could surpass 10,000. More than 40,000 people remain unaccounted for amid the ongoing rescue efforts.
Search and rescue teams from over two dozen countries continue their operations despite diminishing prospects of finding additional survivors. Experts note the critical window for survival under rubble is generally between 48 and 72 hours. Civilians have also played a significant role in rescue attempts, often working without equipment to assist those trapped.
Concerns have been raised regarding the conduct of Venezuela’s military and law enforcement during the crisis. Videos circulated on social media appear to show security personnel removing clothing, appliances, and cash from damaged areas. The government denounced these reports as attempts to manipulate public opinion online. However, the interior ministry announced the detention and dismissal of four crime scene police officers who are under investigation for allegedly appropriating assets recovered from the ruins.
One week after the earthquakes, health officials warn that survivors face new threats from untreated injuries and infectious diseases. Thousands displaced by the disaster are residing in crowded shelters or staying outdoors without adequate access to clean water and sanitation. Aid workers caution that these conditions have precipitated a public health crisis that could claim additional lives in the coming weeks.
Eugenio Cova, a physician in Caracas, highlighted the risk of infections developing among those exposed to the disaster for prolonged periods. The national healthcare system is struggling to cope with the influx of patients, with many hospitals damaged or partially inaccessible. Damage assessments indicate that 38 hospitals suffered harm, including three rendered completely inoperable.
The United Nations Development Programme estimates the earthquakes have caused approximately $6.7 billion in damage. Satellite imagery analyzed by NASA suggests that nearly 59,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, affecting hundreds of thousands of people across the country. The scale of destruction and ongoing humanitarian needs continue to challenge Venezuela’s response capabilities as rescue and recovery efforts persist.