Man rescued after 106 hours trapped in Venezuela quake rubble

Dubai: Against overwhelming odds, rescuers pulled a 21-year-old man alive from the rubble of Venezuela’s devastating earthquake more than four days after he became trapped, offering a rare moment of hope as a powerful aftershock rattled the disaster-hit country on Monday.

Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas was rescued from the ruins in Caraballeda, in La Guaira state, after spending 106 hours trapped beneath collapsed debris, according to officials. The dramatic operation took 43 hours and involved rescue teams from Venezuela, Mexico and El Salvador.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said the rescue was especially challenging because the body of a deceased victim lay between rescuers and the trapped survivor, complicating efforts to reach him safely, BBC reported.

“Aaron is now receiving specialised medical attention,” Bukele said, adding that rescue teams would continue searching “with the hope of being able to save more lives.”

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed the lengthy rescue effort and praised the international teams involved in the operation.

The successful rescue came as a strong aftershock shook Venezuela early Monday, sending frightened residents back into the streets just days after two powerful earthquakes devastated the country’s northern coast.

The aftershock struck at 7:01am local time, about 27 kilometres north of Caraballeda, measuring 4.6 according to the US Geological Survey. Colombia’s Geological Survey estimated the tremor at magnitude 5.1.

Back in the street

Although authorities reported no immediate additional damage, the tremor triggered fresh panic in Caracas, where residents fled buildings fearing more collapses.

“Here we are again, back in the street. I don’t know when we’ll have a moment of true peace,” said Concepción Hernández, 51, after evacuating her apartment in Caracas’ Chacao district.

The aftershock also rattled La Guaira, one of the areas worst hit by last week’s twin earthquakes, where local and international rescue teams continue searching collapsed buildings despite fading hopes of finding more survivors.

The Venezuelan government has placed the death toll at 1,450, while thousands of people remain missing. The disaster has also drawn criticism from residents who say official relief efforts have been inadequate and that civilian volunteers have played a leading role in rescuing people trapped beneath the rubble.

More than 2,600 rescue workers from around the world, supported by trained search dogs and heavy equipment, have joined the operation, according to the government.

Although the first 48 to 72 hours after a major earthquake are generally considered the critical window for finding survivors, Monday’s dramatic rescue underscored that miracles remain possible when victims have access to pockets of air, water or other life-sustaining conditions beneath the debris.

Even as the odds diminish with every passing hour, authorities said the search will continue, determined to find more survivors buried beneath the ruins.