Three-year-old Boy Rescued Alive Six Days After Venezuela Earthquakes, Death Toll Nears 2,000

A three-year-old boy has been rescued alive from the rubble six days after the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela, offering a rare moment of hope as rescuers continue searching for survivors.

The child, identified as Klieber Morán, was pulled from the debris in La Guaira State by a Jordanian rescue team, according to Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who described the rescue as “a source of hope for our people.”

Jordan’s Civil Defence said the boy received first aid at the scene before being transferred to a hospital in the capital, Caracas, where his condition was reported to be stable.

The rescue came well beyond the critical 72-hour period after an earthquake, when experts say the chances of finding survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings decline significantly.

The development came as the United Nations warned that tens of thousands of people urgently require food, shelter and other humanitarian assistance following the twin earthquakes, which measured magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.

Authorities said the death toll had risen to 1,943, while more than 10,000 people were injured and tens of thousands remained unaccounted for.

An initial assessment of satellite imagery by NASA estimated that about 58,870 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the earthquakes.

La Guaira is among the worst-hit areas, where many residents have been carrying out rescue efforts themselves amid delays in reaching affected communities.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said food shortages were widespread, essential services had broken down and communication networks had been severely disrupted in the state.

It warned that growing shortages of aid were increasing tensions within affected communities and appealed for an initial $15 million to provide protection, emergency relief items and temporary shelter for 30,000 earthquake victims over the next six months.

The World Health Organization also warned that health services were under extreme pressure and cautioned that low vaccination coverage had increased the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and diphtheria.

Despite the worsening humanitarian situation, rescue operations continue with teams from Venezuela and several countries, including the United States, Jordan and Mexico, deploying trained dogs and heavy equipment to search for survivors.

The United Nations said a 47-tonne consignment of humanitarian supplies had arrived in Venezuela, including emergency medical kits, maternal and newborn care supplies, and disease prevention materials.

Meanwhile, grieving families have begun burying victims recovered from the rubble, while many others continue waiting for news of missing relatives feared dead.