A father and his young son were rescued alive from beneath the rubble of a collapsed building on Sunday, four days after a devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela. The rescue, described as a "miracle" by onlookers, occurred in the La Guaira state, one of the hardest-hit regions.
Rescue teams, including firefighters from Fairfax County, Virginia, and personnel from France and Venezuela, worked to extract the pair from a narrow gap in the debris. After days of searching, a visible movement led rescuers to the trapped individuals. The father was carefully pulled from the rubble, clutching his cellphone, while his young son was later emerged and passed to waiting medics. Rescuers chanted in a mix of Spanish and English as the father and son were carried to an ambulance amid emotional crowds.
The rescue provided a much-needed moment of hope amid widespread devastation. As of Sunday, authorities reported 1,450 people dead, with thousands more injured and a significant number missing. International rescue workers, including those with trained search dogs and heavy machinery, have arrived to aid in the ongoing search efforts.
The Venezuelan government has faced criticism for its response to the disaster, with many citizens alleging that civilian-led rescue efforts have been more effective. Authorities reported that over 770 buildings had collapsed or been partially damaged. Aftershocks, including quakes measuring 4.2 and 4.5 on Sunday morning, continued to shake the region.
Access to La Guaira state, the epicenter of the damage, has been restricted, with military and police presence increased. Many Venezuelans have turned to non-governmental digital databases to report missing loved ones, with over 50,000 people listed on one such database.
Despite the challenging circumstances, including a strained public health system, hospitals like Domingo Luciani in Caracas have received a surge of donations and treated over 3,100 wounded individuals. The disaster presents a significant challenge for acting President Delcy Rodriguez, whose government faces scrutiny amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis and economic instability in the country. The International Organization for Migration has warned that displacement within Venezuela may increase as people seek safer conditions.
Acting President Rodriguez stated that the search for survivors would continue and that a special commission would be established to assess structural damage and determine the safety of returning to damaged homes. "Today we recovered people who are still alive," she said. "We always maintain hope."