Two 11-Year-Old Boys Rescued Days After Venezuela Earthquakes

Two 11-year-old boys were rescued from rubble four days after the devastating magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Venezuela. The children, one named Moisés, were pulled from collapsed buildings in separate operations, offering a rare glimmer of hope amid a tragedy that has left at least 1,430 dead and 50,000 missing, according to authorities and the UN.

The Rescues

Moisés was rescued by Colombia's UNGRD after being trapped under three meters of debris for six hours of precise work. He was found near his mother and sister, who did not survive Source: Clarín. Hours later, interim President Delcy Rodríguez posted a video showing a second boy being carried from the rubble in Caraballeda Source: El Día. Rodríguez wrote, "In these moments, every life is hope for Venezuela."

The Tragedy

The double earthquake, occurring 39 seconds apart, destroyed nearly 800 buildings and triggered a major humanitarian crisis. The coastal state of La Guaira, including Caraballeda, was hardest hit. Aftershocks, including a 5.1 magnitude tremor, continue to hamper rescue efforts Source: El Día. Desperate families have been digging through rubble by hand, saying they can hear voices beneath but lack heavy machinery to free them Source: Clarín.

The Search

More than 85 hours after the first quake, rescuers still hold hope of finding survivors, especially those with access to food and water. Thousands of displaced residents are living in cars or camping at an airport and golf course, which has become an improvised hospital Source: El Día. The UN reports 50,000 people remain missing, and the search continues against the clock.