Venezuela earthquakes: Newborn baby rescued alive from La Guaira rubble as death toll rises to 1430

A newborn baby has been pulled alive from the wreckage of a collapsed building in Venezuela, delivering a rare moment of hope as rescue crews continue searching for survivors of the country’s catastrophic twin earthquakes.

The infant was rescued after spending 32 hours trapped beneath rubble in the devastated coastal city of La Guaira, where entire neighbourhoods have been flattened by the disaster.

The dramatic rescue comes as the official death toll climbed to 1,430, with more than 3,360 people injured and tens of thousands still unaccounted for.

Footage shared online captured the emotional moment rescuers emerged from the ruins carrying the baby wrapped in a pink blanket.

Crowds erupted into applause as family members and onlookers watched in disbelief, while one man broke down in tears, embracing and kissing the child on the forehead.

Local reports said the baby’s mother was also later found alive.

The rescue has become a symbol of hope as emergency crews race against time to find more survivors before the critical rescue window closes.

La Guaira has emerged as one of the regions hardest hit by Wednesday’s devastating earthquakes and has been declared a disaster zone. The scale of destruction was so severe that initial casualty figures did not include victims from the city.

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 and striking just 39 seconds apart, triggered widespread devastation across northern Venezuela. The US Geological Survey has warned the final death toll could eventually climb to as many as 10,000 people.

International rescue teams have poured into the country, with more than 1,600 specialist rescuers arriving aboard 17 flights in recent days to assist overwhelmed local crews.

But survivors and volunteers have criticised what they describe as a slow official response, saying many families were left to dig through collapsed buildings with their bare hands while waiting for heavy machinery to arrive.

During a visit to one of the devastated communities, acting president Delcy Rodríguez was confronted by frustrated residents.

“The government isn’t doing anything for the people!” people shouted.

Among those desperately searching the rubble is Marjosly Salazar, whose family remains missing.

“I am looking for my little Gael… he was only five months old.”

With Reuters