Venezuela earthquake: 11-year-old boy survives after '72 crucial hours'
Rescue workers are racing against time to find survivors under the rubble after a double earthquake devastated Venezuela. With more than 1,400 dead and tens of thousands missing, hope is dwindling as the "golden hour" for rescue efforts has passed.
More than three days after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes rocked Venezuela, search and rescue efforts are entering their most difficult phase. Experts believe the first 72 hours after a natural disaster are the "golden window" for saving lives. Once this period passes, the focus usually shifts to searching for bodies.
A Salvadoran rescue worker at the scene shared: "At this point, it's likely mostly just bodies. But hopefully we'll still find survivors."
Rare glimmers of hope still remain. On the evening of June 27 (local time), an 11-year-old boy was successfully rescued from the rubble in the town of Caraballeda, northern Venezuela.
"Right now, every life is a source of hope for Venezuela," interim leader Delcy Rodriguez shared on social media alongside a video of the rescue.
Earlier on June 26, a newborn baby was also rescued by local residents in the coastal area of La Guaira, about 32 hours after the disaster occurred.
According to an updated report on June 27th by Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, the death toll has risen to 1,430 people and 3,238 were injured. Among the victims were many foreign nationals, including 28 Portuguese, 7 Chinese, 6 Spaniards, 2 Brazilians, as well as citizens of Chile, Uruguay, and one person with dual Italian-Venezuelan citizenship.
UN aid representative Tom Fletcher warned that the death toll could continue to skyrocket, with an estimated 50,000 people still missing.
The United Nations Migration Agency said that, based on damage data, up to 6.76 million people could be affected. Millions are facing severe shortages and urgently need assistance with shelter, clean water, sanitation, and healthcare. Material damage is estimated at $6.7 billion, equivalent to 6% of Venezuela's GDP.
Given the critical situation, the international community is mobilizing its resources to support Venezuela. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez stated that 21 countries have sent search and rescue teams to the country.
The U.S. announced the deployment of a disaster response force of more than 250 personnel, including three special search and rescue units equipped with sniffer dogs. A runway at Simon Bolivar International Airport was partially operational to accommodate a C-17 military transport aircraft, while a naval vessel was also deployed offshore to support emergency relief efforts.
