Earthquake in Venezuela
18 Day Old Newborn Rescued Alive After 32 Hours Under Rubble
An 18 day old newborn is rescued alive from the rubble. Photo: AFP
Rescue workers in Venezuela pulled an 18 day old newborn alive from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building 32 hours after a powerful earthquake struck the country. About an hour and a half later, rescuers also found the baby's mother alive beneath the same debris.
The remarkable rescue took place late Friday night in La Guaira, the coastal city north of the capital, Caracas that suffered some of the worst damage from the earthquake. AFP reported the development on Saturday.
Videos shared on social media show rescue teams carefully removing debris under floodlights before safely reaching the newborn. As the baby was brought out alive, people at the scene broke into applause. Wrapped in a blanket, the infant was then carefully passed from one rescuer to another before being taken to safety.
Wrapped in a blanket, the newborn was carefully passed from one rescuer to another. Photo: AFP
Volunteer rescuer Andreina Quintero shared the video, saying the newborn was just 18 days old. Despite being trapped beneath the rubble for 32 hours, the baby showed no signs of serious injury.
About an hour and a half after the infant was rescued, emergency crews also pulled the baby's mother alive from the debris. A separate video later showed the mother and child receiving treatment at a hospital.
The baby's mother was also rescued alive. Photo: AFP
Doctors treating the newborn said the baby had no visible injuries. They believe the mother shielded the infant with her body or another sturdy object during the earthquake, protecting the child from the collapsing concrete and debris. According to the medical team, the mother's sacrifice played a crucial role in saving the newborn's life.
Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck Venezuela one minute apart on Wednesday. The disaster has killed hundreds of people and injured several thousand, while thousands more remain missing. Rescue and relief operations are continuing across the hardest-hit areas.
