A man and his child have been rescued alive from the debris of a collapsed structure, emerging four days after a pair of earthquakes shook Venezuela. Their extraction on Sunday marked the end of a painstaking 12-hour operation conducted by search teams in La Guaira, a coastal region severely impacted by the recent seismic events.
The death toll has now surpassed 1,450, with numerous injuries reported, and tens of thousands of individuals still unaccounted for as rescue operations persist in the quest for survivors. Ahead of their rescue, emergency responders readied intravenous drips while simultaneously scouring nearby collapsed buildings for any remaining signs of life.
Utilizing specialized search cameras, rescuers located the trapped duo and cautiously cleared unstable rubble to reach them. A member of the French Civil Security team commented on their weakened state due to prolonged entrapment, emphasizing efforts to rehydrate and provide necessary medications during the slow extraction process.
The intricate operation involved collaboration between French Civil Security units and the Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue Team from Virginia, USA. This international team had previously successfully rescued a mother and her infant from the debris, both sustaining minor injuries.
Additionally, two 11-year-old boys were saved in separate missions over the weekend, one of them named Moises, drawing cheers from rescuers as he emerged from the remnants of his home after days of being trapped. While 33 individuals were rescued over the weekend, the chances of finding more survivors dwindle as the search efforts extend into the fifth day.
