Caracas, Jul 01 (V7N) — A three-year-old boy has been rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed building in Venezuela six days after a devastating earthquake, in what officials have described as a miraculous moment of hope amid the country's worst disaster in decades.
The child, identified as Kleiber Moran, was pulled from the debris in the coastal state of La Guaira by a Jordanian rescue team, according to a report by the BBC on Wednesday.
Videos circulating on social media showed rescuers carefully extracting the boy from the rubble before carrying him to safety.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the rescue represented "a moment of hope" for the nation, while Jordan's Civil Defense confirmed that the child received immediate first aid and was later admitted to hospital in stable condition.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Kleiber is currently receiving treatment in the capital, Caracas.
Experts note that the first 72 hours after a major earthquake are generally considered the most critical period for rescuing survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures. The successful rescue of a child after six days is therefore regarded as extremely rare.
Death toll rises to 1,943
The twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck Venezuela last week and have so far claimed 1,943 lives, while more than 10,000 people have been injured. Thousands remain missing.
According to an initial satellite-based assessment by NASA, approximately 58,870 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed by the disaster.
Food and shelter crisis deepens
The UNHCR has warned that tens of thousands of people urgently need food, shelter and emergency assistance.
The agency said conditions in La Guaira have become increasingly severe, with widespread shortages of food, collapsed basic services and major disruptions to communication networks.
"We have received some relief supplies, but they are not enough. People are sometimes fighting over food," injured local resident Daniela Armas, 18, told AFP.
UNHCR estimates that $15 million will be needed over the next six months to provide emergency relief, protection and temporary shelter for around 30,000 affected people.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization warned that Venezuela's health system is under extreme pressure. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said low vaccination rates have increased the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles.
Rescue operations continue across the affected regions. Although the chances of finding survivors diminish with each passing day, the rescue of Kleiber Moran has provided a rare source of encouragement for thousands of families affected by the catastrophe.
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