Two 11-year-old boys managed to emerge alive from the rubble three days after the deadly earthquakes that struck Venezuela.
The first minor, Moisés, was rescued after a lengthy operation, with video showing him emerging from the debris with his eyes covered to protect them from the intense light, while rescuers burst into applause.
According to Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), Moisés was buried under about three meters of rubble and it took six hours of extremely delicate maneuvers to safely free him.
Despues de horas de trabajo en equipo Belkys Barreto fue rescatada con vida, ¡cuando la esperanza está en el corazón nada lo detiene! pic.twitter.com/VGDxNQM86G
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) June 28, 2026
A few hours later, the country's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced the rescue of a second 11-year-old boy in the city of Caraballeda, posting a video on social media.
According to Reuters, a rescuer reported by radio that the child was found next to his mother and sister, who had lost their lives.
Despues de horas de trabajo en equipo Belkys Barreto fue rescatada con vida, ¡cuando la esperanza está en el corazón nada lo detiene! pic.twitter.com/VGDxNQM86G
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) June 28, 2026
More than 1,450 dead and tens of thousands missing
The two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, occurring just 39 seconds apart, caused the collapse of hundreds of buildings and left behind an incalculable humanitarian disaster.
Authorities have so far confirmed at least 1,450 dead, while tens of thousands remain missing. Despite more than three days having passed, rescuers continue their searches, estimating that there are still chances of finding trapped survivors, especially if they had access to water and food.
Families dig with bare hands
In the worst-hit areas, desperate relatives search for their loved ones on their own, digging with their hands through the rubble. Many say they still hear voices under the concrete slabs but cannot move them without the help of heavy machinery.
Constant aftershocks hamper the work of rescue teams and heighten residents' fear.
