Rescue of Klieber Morán
A three-year-old boy has been pulled alive from the rubble six days after the devastating earthquake in Venezuela, in what has been described as a 'moment of hope'. A Jordanian rescue team erupted in celebration as the youngster was freed from the wreckage. The country's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, identified him as Klieber Morán and hailed his rescue as a moment of hope after the earthquake.
The Jordanian civil defence confirmed that Klieber received first aid treatment before being transferred to hospital, where his vital signs were reported as stable. He was receiving treatment in the capital Caracas, according to Venezuelan Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, as reported by the BBC.
Death toll and destruction
The death toll from the catastrophic disaster has risen to 1,943, with more than 10,000 people injured. The earthquakes, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, have also left tens of thousands more unaccounted for. An initial assessment of satellite data from NASA indicated the tremors damaged or destroyed approximately 58,870 buildings.
Experts cautioned following the destruction that the three-day window after the quake offered the greatest chance of finding survivors. Numerous residents in La Guaira, amongst the most severely affected areas, have been conducting their own rescue operations to locate family members.
Humanitarian crisis
The UN's refugee agency reported on Tuesday that food scarcities were widespread, essential services had collapsed and communications had been mostly cut off in La Guaira. "Community tensions are rising as access to assistance remains constrained," the UNHCR said in a statement on its website.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that healthcare services are facing "extreme pressure." "There's an increased risk now of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases" such as measles and diphtheria due to low vaccination coverage, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said.
Ongoing rescue operations
Four days following the earthquake, a father and his son were also recovered alive from the wreckage of a destroyed building. The two were rescued on Sunday after a 12-hour operation by search teams in the coastal state of La Guaira. According to Venezuelan officials, more than 2,600 rescue personnel from across the globe are now participating in the search operation, assisted by nearly 140 specially trained search dogs.
International assistance is reaching the country to provide support during this crisis. A UN spokesperson confirmed a 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian aid arrived on Tuesday. It contained emergency medical kits, provisions for safe deliveries, newborn care and disease prevention. The threat of additional damage persists as aftershocks continue to rattle Venezuela, with smaller tremors measuring 4.2 and 4.5 in magnitude recorded on Sunday morning.
