Published on 6/29/2026
A man and his teenage son were pulled alive from under the rubble yesterday, Sunday, about 4 days after the double earthquake that struck Venezuela, while international rescue teams continue to search for survivors after the number of victims reached about 1,500.
American and French rescue teams carried the boy and his father – who appeared tired and shocked – on stretchers after pulling them from the rubble among dozens of people, according to what Agence France-Presse correspondents reported in Carabayeda, a coastal city north of the capital, Caracas, that was destroyed by the earthquake.
The boy – covered in dust and blood on his right knee and his right hand bandaged – was pulled from under the rubble first. Then his father was taken out, also covered in dust, and only a piece of cloth covering his body. He received medical care, as a medical tube was inserted into his body.
The number of victims of the double earthquake in Venezuela is approaching 1,500 people, with 774 buildings damaged, of which 189 completely collapsed.
The United Nations estimates the number of missing people at about 50,000 people, while the authorities report that hundreds of people are missing.
Experts believe that the chances of finding survivors are diminishing over time after the two strong earthquakes that struck the country this week.
Foreign rescue teams flocked to the state of La Guaira, which is the most affected state in a country that has been immersed – for a long time – in a deep political and economic crisis, and Delcy Rodriguez – Acting President of Venezuela – confirmed that 24 countries responded to the relief call.
The international community provided 521 tons of supplies, and deployed 86 specialized teams, including more than 2,741 search and rescue crew members, equipped with police dogs to support local efforts. Officials indicated that 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue team members had arrived as of last Saturday.
It is noteworthy that the two earthquakes – which had a magnitude of 7.2 and 7.5 – caused massive damage, with losses estimated at about $7 billion, which is equivalent to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product.
This disaster comes at a time when Venezuela is suffering from a stifling economic crisis, while about 7 million people are facing direct repercussions from the earthquakes that followed the two earthquakes, which amounted to more than 300 aftershocks, according to United Nations estimates.
