A toddler has been pulled out alive from the rubble six days after powerful back-to-back earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela.
The little boy, identified as Klieber Morán, was rescued Tuesday, June 30, from the collapsed Los Corales Garden building in La Guaira state, one of the areas hardest hit by the June 24 quakes.
Venezuelan officials said the child is believed to be around 2 or 3 years old.
“Early this morning, a 2-year-old boy was rescued and is currently receiving care at a health centre in Caracas,” Venezuela’s National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez said during a televised address, according to The Guardian.
The miraculous rescue was carried out by a team from Jordan, according to the BBC.
Video from the scene showed the toddler lying still on his stomach in the wreckage before rescue workers carefully pulled him free. Moments later, he was wrapped in a blanket as emotional onlookers cheered.
Officials said Klieber received first aid at the scene before being taken to a hospital in Caracas. He was reported to be in good condition after the rescue.
The boy was the only survivor reported Tuesday, which marked the sixth day of desperate search efforts.
“We must hold on to the hope of continuing to find people alive beneath the rubble,” Rodríguez said.
The rescue offered a rare moment of hope as Venezuela continues to mourn staggering losses from the disaster.
As of Tuesday, officials said 1,943 people had died, while 10,571 were injured and 15,866 were listed as affected.
Rodríguez said 14 shelters have been set up in La Guaira, with 55 more opened between Caracas and other impacted states.
The disaster began overnight on June 24, when two major earthquakes struck Venezuela. The quakes measured 7.1 and 7.5 in magnitude, with the second reportedly the country’s strongest in more than a century.
Search and rescue teams from multiple countries have joined the effort to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, thanked international crews for their help.
“We deeply value the support provided through the search and rescue teams, specialized personnel, and humanitarian assistance,” she wrote on X, saying the support strengthened “bonds of friendship and cooperation” during one of the country’s darkest moments.
