Five Heartwarming Rescue Moments Amid Venezuela Earthquakes
Rescue workers and volunteers have carried out several remarkable rescues after the devastating 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela, which killed over 1,400 people and caused widespread destruction.
Last Wednesday, northern Venezuela was struck by two consecutive earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, causing massive damage in Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira. By Sunday, the death toll had risen to 1,450, with 3,150 injured and at least 12,721 displaced. Over 774 buildings collapsed. Amid the tragedy, several heartwarming rescues offered hope.
One such moment was the rescue of a crying infant from the rubble by US crews. The US State Department shared a video of helmeted workers lifting the blanket-wrapped baby. Two 11-year-old boys were also saved: Moises, extracted by a Colombian team from under 3 meters (10 feet) of debris, suffered a broken arm but survived, though his mother and sister perished. Another boy, Rodriguez, was rescued by a Mexican team from a collapsed building in Caraballeda.
Volunteers and university students formed a human chain to unload aid trucks, as shown in social media videos. International support poured in: the US pledged $150 million and sent warships and helicopters; Brazil, El Salvador, Cuba, Mexico, and Colombia deployed rescue teams and supplies. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies released $2.5 million. Turkey, Qatar, France, India, China, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Germany also offered aid.
Pope Leo XIV expressed closeness to Venezuelans and gratitude to rescuers; the Vatican sent €100,000 ($114,000) in initial aid. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said rescue efforts continue, schools remain closed for another week, and 75% of electricity in La Guaira has been restored. A presidential commission will assess building safety.
